Indeed.
I may in fact bypass watching Origin live on Imparja and watch it on 2hr delay on Ch9 just so I can make the most of this wonderful occasion.
For those outside WA, in my memory, the earliest Origin has ever been shown on free-to-air tv in Perth (when League was at it's peak here) was 8:30pm. Back then, the Origin broadcasts began with those funny (and cheesey!) stories that somehow revolved around Origin (Paul Harragon as the giant in a Jack & The Beanstalk story springs to mind ... and from memory, Allan Langer played Jack), before the familiar We Will Rock You stomp-stomp-clap rythem was used as the opening title sequence for the game.
I think this heyday I'm talking about was from 1992-1995 (inclusive ... and possibly actually started before then). Geez they were good days. I at times wish I was older in those days so I could appreciate them more than I did (I'm 27 now, so I was in the late primary school to early high school years then). Had I known then what I know now, I would definitely make the most of those times, knowing how bleak the WA League landscape was gonna be for the following 12+ years.
I feel for you Alehana ... you missed the Golden Age for Rugby League in WA. 16 First Grade teams in the WARL, The Sunday Footy Show, Sunday arvo footy at 12:30pm, NRL (well, NSWRL as it was then known) games at the WACA every year (as much as I can remember anyway), the massive hype surrounding a Perth team in the NRL (including 24,932 people at the WACA for their first game), Origin on at 8:30pm ... I could go on.
Like I said, I at times wish I was older at the time so I could make the most of these times, but if anything, it's given me a taste of what could be and it's turned into a passion of mine to get League back to where it should be in WA. I had a taste of it, a brief taste, then nothing for 12 years ... and in that time, I've become hungrier and hungrier for it's return! That is why I want the WA Reds to become the success we all want them to be ... so I can fully appreciate their presence this time around.