Adelaide Oval could host a State of Origin clash after SA government strikes NRL deal for 2017
NOT content with securing the hosting rights for the Roosters’ clash with Storm in June next year, the South Australian Government has set its sights on the biggest fixture in NRL.
THE South Australian Government has set its sights on hosting a blockbuster NRL State-of-Origin match at Adelaide Oval after striking a deal to play a club match for points at the venue next season.
It was announced on Sunday that the Sydney Roosters will play a home game against the Melbourne Storm at The Oval on a Saturday night in June next year — the date will be revealed when the draw is released this week — but the government is chasing an even bigger fish.
“This match is a fantastic win for South Australia and I would love to see it pave the way for Adelaide to host one of sport’s most iconic rivalries — (New South Wales-Queensland) State-of-Origin,’’ SA Tourism Minister Leon Bignell said.
“We’ve put an extra $70 million of taxpayers money into the tourism budget to go out and get major events like the Sydney Roosters versus Melbourne Storm game but we want to do more.
“We have made no secret of it with the NRL that we would love to ge a State-of-Origin match here.
“There is no better rivalry in Australian sport than the NSW versus Queensland State-of-Origin clashes and we think Adelaide Oval would be an electric atmosphere to have a State-of-Origin game, it would lift the roof off The Oval.’’
The three-match State-of-Origin Series have traditionally been held on a home-and-away-basis.
But the NRL has been keen to take one match of he series away from Queensland and New South Wales, with Melbourne previously hosting games.
Two matches are scheduled for Brisbane next season and one for Sydney, with Melbourne’s MCG hosting a game in 2018 and Perth locked in for 2019.
New Zealand has joined Adelaide in putting its hand up to host one of sport’s grandest events.
NRL head of football Brian Canavan said next year’s Roosters-Storm clash “will be a very significant pointer to what may happen down the track’’.
“Hopefully this game will be an annual fixture, the Roosters playing somebody during the NRL season,’’ he said.
“And it is well known that the NRL wishes to take a State-of-Origin game away from the two of the traditional states.
“Currently there are three games in the series and the desire is for one of those games is to be taken to another state, so down the track we would like to think that Adelaide Oval is in very strong contention to be one of those venues.’’
The NRL is expecting a crowd of about 30,000 for the Roosters-Storm match, which will be the first NRL game held in Adelaide for premiership points since the Canterbury Bulldogs played the Melbourne Storm in 2011.
Adelaide fielded a team, the Adelaide Rams, in the Super League competition in 1997 and 1998.
Bignell said hosting an NRL match for premiership points “adds another piece in the jigsaw’’ for rebuilt Adelaide Oval, which will play home to the Anthony Mundine versus Danny Green rematch on February 3.
andrew.capel@news.com.au