Comment: State of Origin’s ancient 18th-man system needs an urgent overhaul

For the second straight year, an outdated State of Origin system has robbed Canterbury of one of its most important players. DAVID RICCIO reveals an easy fix to end the madness.

Canterbury have been robbed again by an ancient 18th-man system that must be scrapped.

Outstanding Bulldogs utility Kurt Mann has been included in Billy Slater’s Queensland Origin squad as the 18th man, a tip of the hat to the 32-year-old’s form and impact on the NRL ladder leaders this season.

Mann would’ve been named on the Queensland bench if not for Dolphins forward Tom Gilbert (pec) being deemed unavailable for selection, forcing Slater to pivot and pick a like-for-like bench forward in Melbourne’s Trent Loiero.

As a result, the Dogs have lost Mann for their clash on Thursday night against the Dolphins.

It’s not the first time the Bulldogs have been stiffed.

Last year, Canterbury five-eighth Matt Burton was the Blues 18th man, forcing him to miss his corresponding club game during the Origin series.

There’s no denying Mann will benefit greatly from being inside Maroons camp and working alongside the game’s best players this week.

However, can the game not do any better than to understand the impact on selecting an 18th man from a club that is playing this week when there are seven other clubs with players that have byes this weekend?

Mann should be released from Maroons camp to play for the Bulldogs against the Dolphins.

It’s really not that difficult.

He could play for the Dogs and then return to Queensland camp on Friday morning.

Spare me the physical impact that Mann may be asked to load.

The NRL draw is a farce with teams playing three games in 11-days.

From Friday morning until next Wednesday night is ample time for Mann to recover and prepare for any situation that he may be called upon in Origin I in Brisbane.

There’s no reason why it can’t happen.

Originally published as Comment: State of Origin’s ancient 18th-man system needs an urgent overhaul