doc,
Well two byes won't accomodate 3 weeks of standalone Origin unless you extended the season. And if we only play 1 game for 3 weeks, expect to see the AFL and other sports fill up the rest of that weekend in a heartbeat....If you shorten the season by one game per club, that's income that they lose.
Yep - if you don't lengthen the season by one round (which would be an option), you would be one game short.
That would obviously have revenue implications for clubs. But what I'm saying is that there are other things which would balance that out. Bigger crowds during the midseason for one. More dollars from corporates who know that the best players for every club are going to be available (injury notwithstanding) for every home club game. Maybe even more cash from broadcasters who know they are getting top quality games every week, not two months of the best of the rest every year.
Apart from any of that though, the NRL would always have the option of diverting a bit more cash from the Origin series to clubs to compensate for any loss from re-jigging the schedule.
U20s, NZ tests, Pacific Cup etc wouldn't be huge money spinners but it would be a logical way to provide a bit more content for broadcasters (not to mention fans) rather than just having a single stand alone Origin game on the weekend. There are other options though - as you say, a knock out comp of some sort could work.
Anyway I think it is important thing is that people are talking about this as a big issue in the game, because the current situation isn't doing anyone any favours - the clubs, the rep players, the fans or the broadcasters. It's an unhappy compromise because the NRL have put it in the too hard basket.