Former NRL stars Ryan Hoffman and Chad Townsend have called for the State of Origin series to be held in a standalone period, temporarily freezing the NRL competition to help assist with player load management and the risk of soft tissue injuries.
The NRL season during the Origin period has come under criticism from many in the NRL community for becoming diluted and disjointed while everyone draws their attention to the pinnacle of the 13-man game, NSW Blues vs Queensland Maroons.
Most teams will play without their stars, while other struggling clubs don't have a choice other than to make their Origin players back up, increasing the likelihood of injuries and player burnout.
For example, Mitchell Moses has been in two camps, played one Origin match, and hasn't been seen on the paddock at clubland for five weeks. In an extremely busy and draining month for Moses, there would be no-doubt be moments where he feels like he would need a break.
In a topic that has been discussed for many years, Hoffman and Townsend when speaking on Zero Tackle's The Boardroom NRL Podcast, agree the time is now to take it to a standalone period while the women's Origin and Under 19s representative clash shape up well with TV ratings.
"Do we have enough additional content for standalone State of Origin weekends? Hoffman said on The Boardroom.
"Let's think, you got women's State of Origin. You got under 19s, men and women.
"You could do a Queensland City vs Country or New South Wales City vs Country. So there's there's a few different ways you can skin a cat."
Townsend insisted there needs to be a change, especially given how quick the pace of the NRL is in 2026, with the risk of long-term injury never being higher.
For example, Bradman Best badly tore his hamstring in the first ten minutes against the Brisbane Broncos after backing three days after the Origin decider in 2024.
It's a clear signal that the two competitions need to be separated for a short stint.
"There's no doubt the game has changed and evolved over the past 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. But one thing that hasn't is the State of Origin schedule and look I think it's time for change with regards to where the game's at professionally wise," Townsend replied.
"The speed of the game, the intensity, the demands of the game on the players is higher than it's ever been, and we're asking our players to play on a Wednesday night and then back up on the weekend at the speed that the game is at now. Like it's a it's a genuine risk for their welfare with regards to getting injured on the weekend.
"You talk about soft tissue injuries. You talk about losing a player and you talk about some teams who can't afford to rest players, need the results, need their players to back up, it's usually made by the clubs because players will always want to say, "Hey, yeah, I'm sweet to back up." But sometimes they need to be told, "Hey, now this is for your long-term health."
Although the Boardroom duo agreed on one aspect that can't be changed, the iconic Wednesday night viewing.
"So, for me, I genuinely think we need to have a discussion around the scheduling of State of Origin. Now, what I will say, what I don't want to change is I don't want to change the Wednesday night," Townsend added.
"I love the fact that Origin is on a Wednesday night because there's no other sport on, there's nothing else on, and that's why we get all the viewers from AFL, from other sports to watch on a Wednesday night.
"It is the biggest thing happening on a Wednesday, State of Origin. Now, the thing is, what do you do with the NRL then? And look, I don't have the answers off the top of my head right now, but I just think that potentially either a break where we either condense the origin to either consecutive Wednesdays."
Hoffman interjected with an ambitious move, to involve New Zealand into the picture and create a North Island vs South Island 'Origin' fixture.
"I think on a Wednesday night, you obviously got State of Origin. Thursday, you can do the 19s. Friday, you can do a women's, the women's rate unbelievably well And I think that'll do well on a Friday night," Hoffman said
"Bit left field. Do we eventually get a New Zealand north-south going especially when you start to see how well rugby league is being supported in the South? I'm not sure if you saw the crowd at Christchurch at the brand new stadium for the Warriors game against the Cowboys.
"I mean, that was phenomenal, and if down the track they do get a second team down there in the South Island, you could do a north-south derby game."
Hoffman spun back the argument that niggling injuries the players develop during the year can simmer down, leaving the finest quality of NRL out there for the backend of the season.
"I really think we need to look at making sure that we're keeping our our product the cream of the crop," he added.
"And look, it'd be interesting. Imagine all players with niggling injuries not have to drag them through the back half of the year, if they can get a 3-week period where they can rest that hamstring, rest that shoulder, it could make a make for a better product to through to through the back end of the year."
The Blues' Game 3 squad will be named on Monday before they face the formidable task of facing the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium on July 8.
