State of Origin 2021: NSW government make late play for opener by nominating Bankwest Stadium
As if there wasn’t enough angst on the field, now NSW and Queensland are going head-to-head for the right to host next week’s opening Origin clash. All will be revealed on Monday.
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The NSW Government has made a dramatic late pitch to play State of Origin I in Western Sydney.
Even before a ball has been kicked in the interstate series, the NSW and Queensland Governments are locked in a battle for stadium supremacy.
NRL officials will decide the venue for the June 9 series opener on Monday with Melbourne, Canberra, Townsville and Parramatta the four options.
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The game, scheduled for the MCG, is now unlikely to be played in Victoria with Melbourne’s Covid clusters continuing to increase.
NSW Government authorities have spoken with the NRL about the possibility of holding Origin I at the 30,000-seat Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta.
Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium remains favourite to host the match with Canberra now an unlikely venue.
The Palaszczuk Government is understood to have offered up to $5 million to host Origin I in Townsville but NSW would enjoy nothing more than pinching the game from Queensland.
The NSW Government has initiated talks with the NRL, claiming the Origin series would be fairer playing games one and three in Sydney rather than the opening two matches in Queensland.
Stadium Australia at Sydney Olympic Park is another option.
NRL officials are aware selling out a venue at such late notice will be difficult.
Bankwest Stadium has a capacity of 30,000 – 5000 more than Queensland Country Bank Stadium. There are also fears over the Palaszczuk Government’s history of slamming shut the borders.
There appears little appetite to play Origin I in Melbourne before an empty stadium.
Canberra was seen as an ideal location but it’s now unlikely the game will be contested in the ACT.
“If there is a possibility of the game being played in Sydney then we would be totally supportive of that,” said NSWRL chief executive David Trodden.
“If it can’t be (played in Melbourne safely), 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.”
NSW officials are reluctant to concede Townsville is a “neutral” venue, even though it is located away from Origin’s two principle cities, Sydney and Brisbane.
NSW coach Brad Fittler certainly didn’t want the opening two games 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).”
Asked would Queensland start 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.”
Townsville locked in as venue to save Origin opener
Townsville will host State of Origin I if the Covid crisis forces the series opener to be moved from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
News Corp can reveal the Queensland Rugby League has booked out The Ville resort for June 9 – the night of Origin I – and pencilled in several functions for Townsville in the strongest sign yet the code’s showpiece will make its debut at the $290 million Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys insists no definitive call has been made at this stage with rugby league bosses in delicate contractual discussions with the Victorian government over the series opener at the MCG on Wednesday week.
The latest Covid saga to hit Melbourne has forced the Storm to remain on the Sunshine Coast and has left the Origin opener in jeopardy with Canberra and Newcastle raised as possible contingency sites for Game One.
But it is understood Townsville will edge out Canberra and Newcastle as Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ramps-up plans to provide a Plan B option in the event of an MCG Origin relocation.
The NRL has advised the Cowboys, chief tenants of Queensland Country Bank Stadium, that Origin I will be played in Townsville if it cannot be held in Melbourne.
The QRL has already begun planning, making a series of bookings in the past 24 hours for Queensland Origin stars to stay at one of Townsville’s leading hotels just 3km from Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
The QRL has also made Origin function bookings with local Townsville restaurants.
The impending relocation is a huge coup for the Queensland government and the Maroons, who will effectively receive two consecutive home games with Game Two to be held at Suncorp Stadium on June 27.
Maroons coach Paul Green backed plans for Origin I to be moved to Townsville, arguing the facilities of the shiny new Queensland Country Bank Stadium make it the perfect option to take over from the MCG.
“It would be a great idea to have Origin in Townsville,” he said.
“The NRL can’t toss up Canberra as a neutral venue as a reasonable argument.
“This Melbourne game was Queensland’s game, it was our turn in the calendar to have two home games, so we are the home team for the MCG game. We had the pick of the dressing rooms and we had to supply ball boys as if it was our home game.
“If that is the case, then the game can’t be held in Canberra.
“Townsville is a great option. For a start you would sell it out. The weather up there at this time of year is beautiful, it’s a footy mad area and they have just built a new stadium which would be perfect to host a marquee event like State of Origin.
“It would be like a mini-Suncorp, I am sure both teams would enjoy playing there.
“The politicians are lobbying to get the game to Townsville but we haven’t been told by the NRL at this stage whether a final decision has been made.”
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MASS EXODUS
AFL teams have fled Melbourne to ensure this weekend’s games can go ahead and the NRL’s Melbourne Storm will extend their Sunshine Coast camp indefinitely to avoid the outbreak.
If the outbreak continues and worsens, the NRL will have to enact a contingency plan for the first game of the lucrative Origin series.
That would entail shifting the game from Melbourne, with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo keen to keep the match at a neutral venue to avoid accusations of bias or home ground advantages.
Venues in Canberra, Perth and Adelaide have been mooted as potential hosts, but Suncorp Stadium officials are ready to host the game in Brisbane.
Suncorp management did not want to comment, other than to say the 52,500-seat stadium is one of the best rugby league venues in the world and there are no potential clashes with other events around the timing of the game.
But there is one major issue.
The second match of the series will be played at Suncorp on June 27, which would mean Queensland would host the first two games.
That would send the Blues and their supporters into a rage, especially after Queensland clinched last year’s series victory at home in an epic decider against the odds.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk backed up Suncorp’s bid.
“We will help Victoria and Victorians in any way we can. Queensland is ready,” Palaszczuk said on Thursday.
“With concerns about another outbreak in Victoria, we’ll ensure that Queensland is ready to host the State of Origin opener in 13 days.
“We’re putting our hand up – as I know other states are as well.
“Queensland is the ideal place to kick off this year’s State of Origin. I can confirm that we’re in discussions with the NRL.
“Suncorp Stadium or Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville are ready to host a game on June 9.
“It would be wonderful to see a State of Origin (game) in Townsville.
“We’ve proven we’re able to safely host events that deliver strong benefits to our economy.”
WATCH AND WAIT
The NRL is expected to wait until Tuesday to make a definitive call on the venue in the hope Melbourne gets the Covid outbreak under control.
The NRL would play the game at the MCG with a reduced crowd, but a total lockdown would force the match to be moved.
Abdo said the NRL’s preference was to play Game One on neutral turf.
“Clearly, State of Origin is coming up pretty soon and we need to think about what happens with Victorian State Government protocols but also with exemptions required for travel so we are monitoring it but at this stage we aren’t taking any further action,” Abdo said.
“It’s early days. At this stage, we are monitoring the situation very carefully but if we have to increase the protocols (for players) we will and if we need to consider a contingency plan for where we play Origin I, we will.
“We are looking at several venues for that but we would have to see a significant increase in the number of community cases and the potential for lockdown in Victoria before we would consider that.
“It wouldn’t be uncommon for us to consider another neutral state.
“We have contingency plans and we said at the start of the year that we would be ready for whatever situation emerges.”
The NRL will consider flying the teams in and out of Melbourne on game day to avoid potential concerns with NSW and Queensland governments around quarantine and isolation.
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Originally published as State of Origin 2021: NSW government make late play for opener by nominating Bankwest Stadium
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