Johnathan calls for stand-alone Origin as Broncos' Friday monopoly defended

JOHNATHAN Thurston ignites fresh debate on the scheduling issue as Brisbane boss Paul White hits back at critics of the Broncos' Friday night monopoly.

Johnathan Thurston

QUEENSLAND stars Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott ignited fresh debate on the scheduling issue as Brisbane boss Paul White hit back at critics of the Broncos' monopoly on Friday night games.

Cowboys and Maroons duo Thurston and Scott, who flew from Sydney to the Gold Coast yesterday, expressed their concern about an NRL scheduling arrangement under which they will play their third game in eight days against the Titans on Friday night.

Thurston turned up the heat on the ARL Commission, saying a stand-alone Origin weekend would prevent rep stars playing three games in just over a week.

"It would be great to have standalone Origin," he said.

"The toll that it takes on your body both physically and mentally and for players to back up two days later; where is the player welfare?

"I speak on behalf of a lot of the boys when I say we really do need to have a look at the scheduling as players will get burnt out and certainly that is how injuries will occur.

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"The Commission is the hierarchy of this game and they need to take our game to the next level."

Maroons enforcer Scott added: "Three games in eight days ... it's pretty tough and it's a tough schedule for us (the Cowboys) as a team.

"We can't do anything about it, we just have to try and get on with our job and try and recover as best we can this week."

White also went on the front foot, vigorously defending claims from Sydney-based NRL club bosses that the Broncos receive an unfair advantage by traditionally hosting Friday nights games.

For the first time this season, Brisbane will stage a Sunday home game against Wayne Bennett's Newcastle Knights - and White took umbrage at criticism the Broncos are getting a scheduling leg-up from the NRL.

The Broncos CEO revealed he had asked the NRL for more Saturday night and Sunday games, a stance seemingly at odds with the wishes of free-to-air broadcaster Channel 9.

"We don't get a lot of choice," White said.

"We work with the game and the broadcasters in terms of accepting when our scheduling is going to be. Believe it or not, we regularly request Saturday night games and Sunday afternoon games and the NRL would confirm that.

"It's really a decision of the broadcasters.

"We're fortunate we have a Sunday game (against the Knights) so hopefully plenty of people come along so we can promote our ability to stage an event on a Sunday afternoon."

While weekly Friday night games aided the Broncos' preparations, skipper Sam Thaiday said players would happily accept a varied schedule.

"We have been very lucky with the draw," he said.

"But at the end of the day it comes down to broadcasters and they want to show a Queensland team on a Friday night. A Broncos game on a Friday night is a very popular game.

"I'm happy to play on Sundays too; if we had more Sunday games it will attract more of a family environment."