Hopes remain for Adelaide Oval NRL State of Origin blockbuster

There’ll be no more AFL matches in SA this season but there are six million reasons the NRL still has its heart set on playing in Adelaide this year.

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Adelaide Oval could still host rugby league’s showpiece event, the State of Origin, for a historic clash in November.

The Australian Rugby League has locked in three State of Origin matches for November 4, 11 and 18.

South Australia two years ago secured the rights to host a match in this year’s series between sporting foes, the NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons.

But while the dates have been locked in, the venues for the three Origin fixtures have yet to be finalised.

ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Reports from the eastern states today suggested ARLC boss Peter V’landys is determined to see State of Origin played at the Adelaide Oval this year to keep estimated $6 million the South Australian Government has reportedly already paid for it.

The reluctance to formalise venues suggests the ARLC is holding out hope of taking the showpiece event to Adelaide Oval, which was slated to host the series opener on June 3.

By staging the series in November, the ARLC is hopeful the South Australian Government will have time to relax social-distancing laws to allow 53,000 fans to flock to Adelaide Oval. Premier Steven Marshall has been sceptical that AFL matches will be able to host full crowds during the 2020 season.

However, a State Government spokeswoman yesterday confirmed discussions were still ongoing.

“We are still in discussions with the NRL and we are both committed to getting the right result for rugby league and South Australia,” the spokeswoman said.

NSW's James Tedesco celebrates winning try with Mitchell Pearce during Game 3 of the 2019 State of Origin series. Picture. Phil Hillyard

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“We have an agreement in place which is commercial in confidence.

“Subject to where we land we will consider value to South Australia and negotiate a variation to our agreement with the NRL if required.”

The State Government has never announced the cost of the match.

But rugby league sources yesterday put the figure at $6 million.

When then Tourism Minister Leon Bignell made the announcement, before the 2018 March State Election, he said SA would host game one or two of the series as a stand-alone event on a Sunday.

There was a push for the Origin games to be staged on Sunday nights this year to maximise TV ratings, but the ARLC and Channel 9 agreed to stick with the traditional Wednesday night timeslot.