Indeed. And this is the same way NSW (actually everybody) felt about playing QLD before Origin. Boring, boring, boring because their was NO contest - NSW kick-arse yet again - no one cares as a result. It took foresight by an administrator to envisage this Origin concept, doesn't take a lot of foresight to realize that International footie, especially that between Oz and NZ could go the same way, if not be even bigger, if its ever given a chance. Won't happen though because modern-day administrators aren't that insightful or brave.
International footy has become far more competitive than Origin. Look how the last major tournaments have gone.
05 - Kiwis
06 - Aussies
08 - Kiwis
09 - Aussies
10 - Kiwis
11 - Aussies
Now do we really need to compare that to the dominance that has been the last 7 years of Origin?
The World Cup is already loads bigger than Origin, not in an Australian popularity sense but in a rugby league sense. This year we will have 28 games featuring 300+ players from 14 countries. Games played in Wembley, Millenium Stadium and Old Trafford, including the best 17 from Australia, New Zealand and England. A full tournament over 5 weeks. Look at the players in Origin that won't go near the Australian side. Dugan, Merritt, Maloney, Pearce, Hoffman, Reynolds, Shillington, McQueen, Harrison etc. In the World Cup instead of these players we will see Burgess, Graham, Ellis, Tomkins, Sinfield, Luke, Pritchard, Waerea-Hargreaves, Sonny Bill Williams, Foran etc
For Internationals to be bigger in Australia we need the administration to stop only caring about Origin and to give Internationals the respect they deserve. Like maybe accepting the offer of a three match tour from England instead of opting to have a meaningless one-off game against NZ in Townsville then have the rest of the year off. Pissweak, really.
The treatment from Channel 9 has a lot to do with it as well. Origin is the jewel in their crown. But when it comes to the World Cup it's 'we weren't interested because it won't make money'. Home of Rugby League for sure.
What we need is International tournaments or series to build towards at the end of the year, like the World Cup at the end of this year. The Four Nations has been treated as more of an afterthought really. If we had say:
2013 - World Cup
2014 - Lions Tour/Ashes Series
2015 - Trans-Tasman test series/European Six Nations
2016 - Kangaroo Tour of UK/France/Ashes series
2017 - World Cup
We might see some more interest from players. The Ashes series used to be as big as Origin and it should be again.
For the smaller nations we could have Pacific Cups every year, plus warm-up games against Australia, New Zealand and England before Ashes series and Baskerville Shield series. Same with the Northern Hemisphere. Australia can play tests against Scotland, Wales and Ireland before or after the Ashes, as can New Zealand. This way smaller countries keep regular games against the bigger countries as well as playing more competitive games in Pacific and European Cups. I am not a fan of the current Four Nations. It seems a cop out where one small nation is thrown to the wolves so we can say we are doing more to develop smaller nations while the other small nations don't play at all, then Australia, England and New Zealand only play each other once before a final leading to an unsatisfactory tournament.
This way, the big three play several meaningful games against each other (a total of six times each between World Cups including ANZAC tests) while also playing 3 or 4 tests a year against smaller countries. And the smaller countries gain regular competition with yearly Pacific/European Cups while still managing to play one-off tests against stronger opposition. This would work out as every country involved would play 7 or 8 tests a year, compared to the 3 or 4 played in Four Nations years and 1 or 2 played last year. And compared to one every two or three years for the Pacific Nations.
Having a strong International schedule like that would see both Origin and Internationals hold their own place in the calendar.
