Origin: State waits decision on where first game will be held

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is “praying” that Townsville is today selected to host of the State of Origin series opener, saying “the city deserves it”.

Annastacia Palaszczuk says she is “praying” that Townsville is selected to host the State of Origin series opener as she conceded “anything can happen”.

The NRL is poised to announce their decision today, as Melbourne - which was due to host Origin I - continues to grapple with coronavirus cases.

Ms Palaszczuk confirmed the state government had offered a “small contribution” to secure the game for Townsville, but wouldn’t say how much.

“Hopefully it’s enough,” the Premier said.

“Today is T-Day.

“I know we’ve got all of Townsville behind us. We’ve put in a really good proposal.

“I’m just hoping that they (the NRL) see the wisdom that Townsville presents an absolutely unique opportunity.

“The city I think deserves it.”

Victoria recorded five new local cases of Covid-19 on Monday after five on Sunday, including a new mystery infection in an aged-care worker who could have been working at the facility while infectious for at least two days.

It comes as NSW made a bold late entry to secure the Origin I game, with Blues coach Brad Fittler revealing a government bid to host it at Parramatta’s Bankwest Stadium on June 9.

Byron Piggott, 13, of Bowen, Tayla Byrne, 13, of Kirwan and Baiden McBride, 13, of Rupertswood gear up for Origin in Townsville. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm

The Courier-Mail can reveal more details about Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s bid for the Townsville opener, including plans to transform the northern city’s Flinders St with big-screen TVs and possibly live bands.

It is understood a decision on which city will host Game 1 could be announced by the NRL as soon as Monday.

“We saw what Magic Round did to the southeast,” Ms Palaszczuk said. 

“Hotels, pubs and clubs were full. Cabbies were smiling. Everyone reported trade better than even before Covid. That’s what a historic first Origin for Townsville can achieve.

“This is all part of our economic recovery plan to lead us out of Covid. It’s also a pretty good home ground advantage for the Maroons.”

Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Digital image by Dave Acree.

Under the Queensland bid, Country Bank Stadium would be turned into a mini cauldron, with trucks on standby to take temporary grandstands to Townsville when the decision is announced – while Flinders St would likely be transformed into a free “live site”.

The game was scheduled for the MCG but is now unlikely to be played in Victoria with Covid clusters continuing to increase. Canberra has been suggested as a neutral option, giving neither team an advantage.

QRL Townsville area manager Rob Hall said Origin in the city could have the same impact as the Cowboys winning the 2015 NRL grand final.

“The buzz in the last 24 to 48 hours has been pretty massive. It is pretty much what everyone wants to talk about,” Mr Hall said.

“It would be huge not just for Townsville, but for North Queensland … we’d be expecting a lot of people to come into town.”

North Queensland has produced some of Queensland’s finest Maroons like Billy Slater and Sam Thaiday and a game in Townsville could influence the next stars.

“They get to see these guys come into town and experience what that’s all about and get them down and playing at their junior clubs so we’d expect to get a boom out of that,” he said.

NSW authorities have spoken with the NRL about holding Origin I at the 30,000-seat Bankwest Stadium, a slightly larger capacity than Townsville’s state-of-the-art arena.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“If there is a possibility of the game being played in Sydney then we would be totally supportive of that,” NSWRL chief executive David Trodden said.

“If it can’t be (played in Melbourne), then there will be a game on Wednesday week and wherever it is we will be there and be ready for them.

“All of our planning has been around playing in Melbourne. And that’s absolutely our preference, provided that can be done safely.”

Fittler yesterday said he didn’t want the first two games of the Origin series being played in Queensland.

“It wouldn’t be State of Origin if something wasn’t led towards Queensland,” Fittler told Channel 9.

“To have the first two days there, that’s like back in the early 1980s when the games were played in Queensland.

“It would make it infinitely harder but to carry an underdog tag in State or Origin has always been a good thing so I will accept that.

“I know the NSW Government have approached Peter V’landys as well and offered-up Bankwest Stadium. I believe they are making their decision (on Monday).”

NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Asked if Queensland would start as favourites if the game was played in Townsville, Fittler said: “Absolutely. But it is what it is – I won’t be part of the discussions about where it will be played.”

Thousands of shoppers at a mall southeast of the Melbourne CBD were yesterday put on alert after a Covid-infected person “walked around” the centre, ate at a restaurant and visited three stores on May 26.

In total, Victoria has more than 4000 primary close contacts linked to the City of Whittlesea and Port Melbourne outbreaks, with three-quarters already testing negative.

But Victorian authorities have been unable to uncover how the aged-care worker, who received her first Covid-19 jab on May 12, caught the virus, making it the first unlinked case of the state’s latest outbreak.

The 73 residents of the facility, 56 of whom have been vaccinated, will be isolated in their rooms as a result, and cared for by staff in full personal protective equipment.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed on Sunday that 99 per cent of all aged care facilities in Australia had been visited by vaccination teams, though just 70,000 aged care workers have been jabbed as per the federal government’s records.