Melbourne is set to host the first ever standalone State of Origin fixture in 2018, with reports emerging today that the MCG has been selected as the venue for the match.
It's the first time Origin will be played on a weekend, with no NRL fixtures scheduled around it. Taking the game to Melbourne only adds to the intrigue, as it will be Game 2 in the series, guaranteeing it to be a live rubber. It's expected to be played on a Sunday night, with clear air from both AFL and NRL regular season fixtures.
With the clubs heaping pressure on the code to do something around player fatigue, particularly around the draining Origin period, it was announced late in 2015 that a standalone representative round, including the showpiece State of Origin, would take place in 2018 in a shift from tradition.
Origin has typically been played across a six-week period, on Wednesday nights, with players taking a rest from club duty before each game.
The date of the match in Melbourne is still to be confirmed, but it's reported that it will take place in June, during one of the AFL's bye rounds.
Growing the game in the Southern States will be a priority for the game, and the move to take rugby league's showpiece to Australia's most famous sporting venue shows that the NRL are serious about growing the market.
It follows the code taking Origin to the MCG in 2015, where over 90,000 spectators were there to witness State of Origin live. It was considered a successful move by administrators and commentators alike. The 91,513 people was the highest live attendance for a State of Origin game.
NSW won the game 26-18, to keep the series alive with the decider played in Brisbane.
That would indicate the MCG would be the preferred venue for the match, ahead of the smaller Etihad Stadium.
Speaking with the Herald Sun, who broke the story, an NRL spokesman didn't confirm details of the match, but confirmed that the spectacle would be returning to Melbourne.
We are currently working through the 2018 season structure.
“With regards to State of Origin, we are excited to be returning to Melbourne and we are working closely with the Victorian Government to finalise details over the coming months.”
While the concept of taking State of Origin games, the biggest event on the NRL calendar, to Melbourne has at times been a sticking point with fans,
the Herald Sun reported that the Victorian government would be shelling out a seven-figure fee to have the game played in Melbourne.
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