Although most rugby league fans look forward to the Origin clashes, the fact remains that NRL rounds during the interstate series are often reduced to almost reserve grade contests.
The reasons to support standalone Origin fixtures are plentiful, but a discussion for another day.
The NRL, bound by its television deals with Channel 9 and Fox Sports are not likely to reduce the regular season any time soon, nor does extending the season another three weeks look possible.
So instead of having a below strength Dragons side host a severely depleted Cowboys side in front of what is likely to be a ghost town on a cold Saturday evening, why not put the fixtures to some sort of use?
First and foremost I would have ended the Origin-affected Monday night fixtures many years ago.
The already crowd unfriendly time slot is further hurt by the absence of the game’s biggest stars.
Although Monday Night footy will cease at the conclusion of this season, common sense dictates there is no need for a Monday night game when weekend afternoon fixtures are clear.
Neither Newcastle nor the Eels will be overly hampered by Origin selections with only Michael Jennings and Dane Gagai missing but the game could also very easily be missing Trent Hodkinson and Beau Scott.
With all due respect to this Newcastle side, it’s hardly bursting at the seams with marketable, high drawing superstars, so to have to now market a game sans their best attacking back on a Monday night is far from ideal.
There will be those who disagree, but I really enjoyed Super League’s Magic Weekend, where all fixtures are played across a weekend at the one stadium.
Every year the event feels special and the crowds for the weekend of fixtures is often huge and very loud.
Given that there are only four games of NRL across this weekend, I’d love to see all four games played across the Saturday, with games kicking off at 2, 4, 6 and 8pm.
Sure the players would still be missing, but if the tickets were priced well, you’d have the opportunity to see four games of NRL action, which is four games worth of remaining stars.
Or, the round can be split into two double headers, with 3 and 5 pm timeslots on the Saturday and a 2 and 4 pm on the Sunday, allowing families to attend.
You could even work the fixtures so that the Broncos and Titans host games at Suncorp, while the Dogs and Souths host games at ANZ. The Warriors could even host a double header across one day.
Alternatively, and this is my preferred option, a weekend, or even three weekends, of Origin affected rounds can be taken to country venues.
Once again, the stars would still be missing, but league staved country based fans would have a chance to see at least some of their NRL heroes, which is better than the zero games per year most towns receive.
Newcastle could host a game at Coffs Harbour, the Sharks could take a game south of Sydney.
I’m sure games in Rockhampton and Cairns would see big crowds attend if the Cowboys were to play.
Despite missing Thurston, Morgan, Scott and co, the Cowboys would still rock up with the likes of Coote, Lowe, Cooper and Taumalolo in their squad.
Seeing as though the NRL is so insistent on keeping the midweek, high rating Origin games, they could easily subsidise the travel to promote the game.
We’re always hearing NRL officials say they want to work out ways to take the game to the people.
How about, you know, taking games to the people?
There are holes in all of the above suggestions, however I’d like to think the opportunity to grow the game, or at least reward some of the game’s biggest fans is worth the risk.
Until then we’ll have to make due with three rounds of NRL fixtures sans the game’s biggest stars, played in near-empty stadiums.
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