Sunday Night Origin

[bubblesunlimited]

So, guys and gals this is going to be a bit long but humour me for a minute.

I can not see why we do not have a State of Origin on a Sunday night and make it the one and only game that weekend.

The NRL's reasoning that it would lose fans to other codes is just not true or reasonable at all.

Rugby League is in our blood, most of us would rather watch a Coronation Street and Eastenders marathon than watch Union or AFL, we would never abondon the code for three weekends of a one game round.

The build up and anticipation would be enough for a media frenzy.

It would also ease the burden on clubs having players sit out the week before.

If you have no Monday night football the week before Origin, the two sides can go into camp Sunday night/Monday morning.

This is just a thought,

What do you reckon?

Bubbs

 

[Tiger_Tim]

I can not see why we do not have a State of Origin on a Sunday night and make it the one and only game that weekend.

What do you expect me to do on Friday and Saturday then?

 

[AusKnightRKO]

help the economy by donating your funds to aristocrat

 

[Smithtown]

Sounds fair enough to me

Fri night City v Country (obviously without SOO players - who end up withdrawing from the game anyway)

Sat night - U20s SOO

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Origin should definitely be on standalone weekends. It's big enough that we can do this.

 

[Jono1987]

I posted this in another thread...

I believe they should change the current sequential format of the season to this or something similiar;

1) Clubs play 3 trial matches in regional and country areas.
2) Regular season begins and is shortened to 17 rounds so that each team has eight home and away games. Teams would then play eachother at their homegrounds over a two year period. Each team also gets one bye.
3) Finals series remains the same. Day after Grand Final teams are announced for State of Origin.
4) Two weeks after the Grand Final, the first State or Origin is played (on what day isn't important but a Sunday twilight time would probably appease more people and get the TV network on side). The three games can then be played a week after eachother.
5) Day after the last Origin the test team is announced. Two weeks after the last Origin the first test match or series begins.

Gone is the one off test match and city/country in april.

There are a host of reasons why I believe this format or a similiar one are superior to the current model. I also acknowledge there are potential downsides to it aswell. Anyway the day of which Origin is played isn't that important to me, but gun to the head Sunday evening seems like an attractive option. I'd just rather the NRL implemented a more logical pathway through the season.

 

[adamkungl]

Nothing ever happens on Sunday nights for a reason...people want to sleep before work/school the next day...

 

[GC_Gladiator]

As opposed to origin on a wednesday night when no one has to go to school or work on thursday?

 

[Perth Red]

Saturday night i reckon would be best. A stand alone weekend would be good, maybe with a Maori v Aboriginal game on the Fri night in NZ.

 

[Fui!!!]

I posted this in another thread...

I believe they should change the current sequential format of the season to this or something similiar;

1) Clubs play 3 trial matches in regional and country areas.
2) Regular season begins and is shortened to 17 rounds so that each team has eight home and away games. Teams would then play eachother at their homegrounds over a two year period. Each team also gets one bye.
3) Finals series remains the same. Day after Grand Final teams are announced for State of Origin.
4) Two weeks after the Grand Final, the first State or Origin is played (on what day isn't important but a Sunday twilight time would probably appease more people and get the TV network on side). The three games can then be played a week after eachother.
5) Day after the last Origin the test team is announced. Two weeks after the last Origin the first test match or series begins.

Gone is the one off test match and city/country in april.

There are a host of reasons why I believe this format or a similiar one are superior to the current model. I also acknowledge there are potential downsides to it aswell. Anyway the day of which Origin is played isn't that important to me, but gun to the head Sunday evening seems like an attractive option. I'd just rather the NRL implemented a more logical pathway through the season.

17 weeks?

Cricket is good, but not that good.

 

[smithie]

I think Saturday night is a much better option. I'd go crazy having to wait until Sunday night.

The All-star game was held on a Saturday night. It was a great success and received huge ratings.

Having Origin on weekends also means we can get rid of the terrible bye rounds, giving all non-rep players three rests. The season would only be a week longer. Currently 26 rounds = each club plays 24 games + 2 byes vs. 24 club games + 3 Origin matches.

Would love to see Swans/Lions ratings against Origin.

 

[Stagger eel]

I personaly would be excited about about dedication 3 weekends for origin and other rep footy, can you imagine what you can do with the scheduling..

Friday Night: City V Country (NSW)
City V Country (Queensland)

Saturday Night: Origin 1
NYC Origin as a curtain raiser.

Sunday: Tonga V Fiji
PNG V Samoa

Pacific island cup.

Monday: Aboriginals V NZ Maori (3 game series)

can you imagine the interest leading up to the weekend?

 

[smithie]

Monday: Aboriginals V NZ Maori (3 game series)

I don't know about that. Too many Aborginals in QLD team (Thurston, Prince, Thaiday, Hodges, Inglis, Sandow, etc.)

How about NZ Maori vs. PNG (3 game series)

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

*sigh* Origin on Wednesday is so successful because it still gets great crowds (amazingly considering Sydney) and there is absolutly no competition from other sports. Every sports news section in the country would open up for the next 24 hours with SOO. To sponsors, that is so important and tempting its not funny. On weekends, they would still open up with the Origin, but also add AFL and Rah Rah results. Not complete domination.

I for one would be interested in a Monday night Origin after a full round of footy (non rep players only of course) The weekend before could be the bye weekend.

Friday night 1 game, Saturday 2 games, Sunday 1 game, Monday Origin.

 

[Loudstrat]

State of Origin is the most sucessful sporting event in Australia.

And we all wanna change it.

FFS Origin on Wednesday guarantees League saturation. Games on Friday, Saturday, sunday, Monday, the big one on Wednesday, then Friday, saturday, sunday and Monday.

Origin gives us a footy fest where we have 2 days off out of 11. And most tards here want to reduce it to only 1 game in 11?

LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gaba]

So, guys and gals this is going to be a bit long but humour me for a minute.

I can not see why we do not have a State of Origin on a Sunday night and make it the one and only game that weekend.

The NRL's reasoning that it would lose fans to other codes is just not true or reasonable at all.

Rugby League is in our blood, most of us would rather watch a Coronation Street and Eastenders marathon than watch Union or AFL, we would never abondon the code for three weekends of a one game round.

The build up and anticipation would be enough for a media frenzy.

It would also ease the burden on clubs having players sit out the week before.

If you have no Monday night football the week before Origin, the two sides can go into camp Sunday night/Monday morning.

This is just a thought,

What do you reckon?

Bubbs

It was tried on sunday night as stand alone and failed

 

[Mr Saab]

It was tried on sunday night as stand alone and failed

Indeed. People whinged that there was only one game of football played and it was scrapped.

Cant believe i am saying this, but Loudsh*t is right...with it being played on Weds all the focus is on origin and it does not have to share with anyone. If it is played on a weekend then there are other codes playing and the media interest may not be as great....esp in Melb.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Love the Wednesday night Origin....... Particularly since as I'll be @ game one which happens to fall on my b'day.

 

[RL1908]

As others have pointed out here already, unless there are other meaningful RL matches on the same weekend as "Origin Sunday" then it won't work (witness 2001).

I also agree that having Wed night Origin games means Origin gets Aust & NZ wide coverage as non RL fans get into it (it's not asking them to forgo their own code to get into Origin).

It was also argued in 2001 that giving fans a weekend away from NRL matches would boost the Origin attendance and also NRL crowds the following weekend - didn't happen...

All weekend radio was full of fans whinging that they had no footy to watch on Fri night or Sat arvo/night or Sun arvo while waiting for Sunday night to roll around.

It also gave a free kick to AFL and rugby union to get larger match reports on the news and newspapers.

Nor did the Sydney crowd for Origin 2 get near capacity, despite there being no club football - 70,249.

Nor did it help crowds at club matches in Sydney in the following week after each Origin - despite not getting any footy during the Origin weekends, the next week produced crowds at Sydney matches that were hardly brilliant...

Origin 1 in Brisbane - Lang Park (last game at the old ground) 38,909 - Sydney crowds the next weekend (rd 12): Sharks v Bulldogs 11,218 (Fri night @ Shark Park) / Nthn Eagles v Parramatta 11,439 (Sat night @ Brookvale) / Wests Tigers v Penrith 7,432 (Sat night @ Campbelltown).

Origin 2 at Homebush - 70,249 - Sydney crowds the next weekend (rd 16): Roosters v Cowboys 6,432 (Sat night @ SFS) / Nthn Eagles v Penrith 7,236 (Sun arvo @ Brookvale).

Origin 3 at QEII in Brisbane - 49,441 - Sydney crowds the next weekend (rd 18): Bulldogs v Penrith 8,217 (Sun arvo @ Showground) / Roosters v Nthn Eagles 10,417 (Sun arvo @ SFS).

Admittedly there appears to be some dreadful scheduling going on in 2001, and I haven't checked the weather for those weekends, but there appears to be little evidence to support the theory that stopping club football will be a success for Origin, nor for the clubs themselves.

http://www.RL1908.com/blog/state-of-origin.htm

 

[Pierced Soul]

Cant believe i am saying this, but Loudsh*t is right...with it being played on Weds all the focus is on origin and it does not have to share with anyone. If it is played on a weekend then there are other codes playing and the media interest may not be as great....esp in Melb.

this is true, plus the focus is on league all week, people talking about it at work the next day etc...

however having this current system artificially weakens the rest of the nrl where we have teams of unrecognisable players running aorund whilst the stars sit out. we have teams fall apart during origin without their players and we have teams lose points which may stop them form making the 8.

i think fans can accept if theres injuries we have young players in the team but having situations like a few years ago where 11 storm were sitting out is beyond a joke. it's insulting to the fans and makes a mockery of the game.