Queensland lobbying to block NSW from hosting two Origin games and get Adelaide back on map
Adelaide is back on the map, as far as Queensland is concerned anyway, as the Maroons look to avoid at all costs playing two Origin games at a ground where their record is far from stellar.
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The Maroons are lobbying to block Sydney from scoring two State of Origin games as Queensland desperately fights to avoid losing three straight series to the Blues.
News Corp Australia can reveal Queensland Rugby League officials are pushing for the Adelaide Oval to be retained as the venue for the 2020 series opener following the postponement of the T20 World Cup.
Before the coronavirus pandemic turned the world upside down, Game One of this year‘s series was slated to be played in Adelaide on June 3.
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With the series pushed back to November, the Adelaide Oval was expected to be unavailable due to a schedule clash with cricket‘s T20 World Cup.
That, and the cancellation of the ANZ Stadium redevelopment, opened the door for the Blues to jag a crucial two-game home ground advantage in this year‘s series.
Queensland was the last team to play two home games in a series in their last victory in 2017 before the NRL opted for neutral venues in Melbourne and Perth over the past two years.
The NRL has announced this year‘s series will be contested on November 4, 11 and 18 following the completion of the premiership season, but venues have yet to be decided.
The NRL is monitoring the COVID-19 situation across the country and is keen to maximise fan attendance at the money-spinning Origin games.
That will depend on crowd caps in each state, with Adelaide still in the mix as a potential host city along with Sydney and Brisbane.
Desperate to avoid a third straight series defeat to the Blues, the QRL is pushing for a neutral venue to host this year‘s series opener as originally planned.
“The original series was going to be in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane,“ said QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher.
“The most likely outcome would be Sydney, Brisbane, Sydney I would have thought.
“But I’m not sure whether the resumption of AFL and cancellation of cricket will make Adelaide available.
“If Adelaide is available then I guess for the same reasons it was ordained in the first instance will apply and we play up there.
“Given the deal that was accepted originally is still in place I couldn’t see any reason why they wouldn’t do that.”
The Maroons have traditionally struggled to win at Homebush’s ANZ Stadium.
The Blues hold a 18-9 (1 draw) record at the Olympic venue and playing two games there would give NSW a distinct advantage in its pursuit of a third straight series win.
The Maroons threw their hat in the ring to host two games at Suncorp Stadium this year, but the abandonment of the ANZ Stadium redevelopment and postponement of the cricket tournament has killed the hopes of that.
Queensland has a 36-19 (1 draw) record at Suncorp Stadium and two games in Brisbane would have been a major boost for the Maroons.
If NSW experiences a Victoria-like resurgence of COVID-19 positives then Brisbane will surge back into contention to host two games.
The NRL is still monitoring the coronavirus situation and Hatcher said it was too early to make a call on Origin venues.
“It’s a little bit too early yet,” he said.
“They’re doing everything they can to get this season played out.
“We need some more certainty around that continuing and so far it’s been good.
“The dates have been set in November but everything is changing.”
Originally published as Queensland lobbying to block NSW from hosting two Origin games and get Adelaide back on map
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