After lower ratings for Game II is State of Origin losing its place as Australia’s top sporting event?
IS State of Origin still the big deal it once was? This week’s ratings will be telling but Phil Rothfield has a left-field solution to reinvigorate the game’s showpiece event and it may involve Jason Taumalolo.
Blues
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blues. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE television ratings will be as important as the full-time score line in Wednesday night’s third State of Origin game at Suncorp Stadium.
Channel 9’s figures on Thursday morning will give us a good indication if Origin is still the showpiece event on the Australian sporting calendar or a concept that has lost a little bit of its wow factor.
MONDAY BUZZ: Highlights, lowlights, talking points
FAMILY: Why Fergo turned down cashed-up rivals
HISTORY: Blues will hit silver screen
State of Origin has been the greatest success story in rugby league history because it featured close enough to the 34 best footballers in the country.
This is no longer the case.
Especially since the likes of Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk retired and the fact we lose Billy Slater next season.
The star factor isn’t what it used to be. It’s no longer the best of the best.
Don’t get me wrong. The emergence of the Freddy Fittler’s Baby Blues has been a wonderful rugby league story.
The way the coach and the players have conducted themselves throughout the series has been a wonderful advertisement for the game and I’m desperately hoping they can complete our first clean sweep since 2000.
Still, television ratings for the second game of the series were down by 300,000 and we were quick to blame the Sunday night timeslot.
For the second year in a row the Suncorp Stadium will not be a sellout.
The emergence of more Polynesian players in the NRL who have chosen to play for New Zealand, Tonga or Samoa is increasing all the time. Plus all the great English players.
It’s fair to say Jason Taumalolo, Sam Burgess, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Andrew Fifita and Jesse Bromwich are five of the NRL’s best middle forwards but can’t play Origin.
Neither can Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Semi Radradra (while he was here) and Gareth Widdop.
We’re lucky Kalyn Ponga chose the QLD Maroons over the Kiwis.
He is potentially the next Smith/Thurston/Slater.
But what happens in the future when more and more of the NRL’s elite rugby league players come from areas outside of NSW and QLD. It’s a wonderful result for the international game.
But where do we find the next Phil Gould and Wayne Bennett rivalry?
(Freddie and Kevvy are great blokes but so nice and respectful to each other.)
When do we get the get next King Wally v Brett Kenny showdown? Or Ricky Stuart v Alfie Langer?
Outside of the grand final, State of Origin is supposed to be our biggest event.
But nothing lasts forever. As one TV executive told me on Sunday, Hey Hey it’s Saturday used to be the biggest show on TV.
Then along came The Block, Big Brother, Married At First Sight and My Kitchen Rules.
Maybe it’s time for the NRL to think outside the box.
You look at the incredible success and growth of competitions like cricket’s Big Bash.
It’s a monster event because international superstars are such a big part of it.
Should we allow both NSW and QLD to pick two “wildcards” each year?
For example if Sam Burgess has played five years of NRL in Sydney can he be a Blues wildcard?
If Taumalolo has five years in Townsville can he be a Maroons wildcard?
It’s a least worth a discussion.
We want Origin to always remain the No.1 sporting event in this country.