State of Origin 2015: QRL chairman Peter Betros says Sydney should lose fixture if it can’t sell out
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Queensland Rugby League chairman Peter Betros says Sydney should lose automatic rights to host Origin fixtures if it can’t fill ANZ Stadium for game one in just over a week’s time.

With as many as 20,000 tickets still available for the 2015 series opener on May 27, there are genuine fears the Olympic Stadium will be significantly below full capacity as the Blues Origin defence kicks off.

A recent price hike has been blamed for the sluggish ticket sales, though Sydney has traditionally struggled to sell out ANZ Stadium when it has hosted game one, averaging an attendance of 67,813 when hosting the opening match.



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A sea of Blue as NSW recorded their historic series win in game two of last year’s Origin
A sea of Blue as NSW recorded their historic series win in game two of last year’s Origin series.Source: News Corp Australia
Speaking to The Australian, Betros floated alternative options of Melbourne, Newcastle, Brisbane and New Zealand if the Harbour City’s sporting public refused to turn out for NSW’s first series defence in eight campaigns.

“If the Sydney rugby league fraternity don’t want to go and watch Origin in Sydney then I think the game should be taken somewhere where people do want to watch it,” Betros told The Australian.

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“If you can’t make it pay and the people aren’t interested why would you keep playing it there?”

Crowd figures for five of Sydney’s nine NRL clubs are down on 2014 averages, with Cronulla, Manly, Parramatta, Souths and St. George Illawarra all recording smaller attendances in 2015.

The worrying trend for rugby league’s traditional stronghold comes as Western Sydney outfits Canterbury, Wests Tigers, the Eels and Penrith are all struggling outside of the top eight while competing AFL franchises GWS and the Sydney Swans are cruising toward the top of the ladder, the Waratahs draw healthy numbers in their Super Rugby title defence and Sydney FC ride the wave of their recent A-League grand final appearance.

67k is still >> Suncorp at capacity :lol:

I still don't understand why they take a game to Melbourne. Makes no sense at all.

I think if you have a series of three matches it makes perfect sense to have one each at home and the third at a neutral ground, if it's easy enough for fans to go to, the local population are interested and the facilities are good enough, which is certainly the case in Melbourne.

If we got a larger rectangular ground here it would be a no-brainer, and a major contribution to making the stadium viable.

Melbourne is most definitely not neutral ground. It's essentially another game in Queensland.

I know they don't teach that Melbourne was the capital of Australia until 1927 in NSW schools, but TIL they didn't teach geography either.

:lol: You knew exactly what I meant.

You think we hate NSW in Rugby League?

I'm not sure if the rivalry exists as it does in football, given that we don't "have" League in Victoria.

It'd be like expecting NSW to side for South Australia against Victoria in a hypothetical AFL State of Origin game at Homebush; you wouldn't care, even if some came along for the spectacle.

Watch the game in Melbourne this year and you'll see exactly what Sydcro means. It absolutely is a Queensland home game.

TBH I won't be watching, which probably proves your point lol.

Maybe it's because it's easier for NSW people to get to Melbourne, I guess.

There is also nothing stopping the ARL from moving the 3rd game to another city like Auckland or Perth.

Should just make it a one-off fixture at the end of the season. Problem solved.

I was part of the Rugby League community in Victoria and nearly everyone would prefer Queensland to win over NSW. Part of it is because most Australians hate NSW in sport, another reason is that so many iconic players Melbourne Storm have turned out for Queensland.

Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Cam Smith, Greg Inglis, Israel Folau, Michael Crocker and Dallas Johnson are/were all fan favourites and key members of the Queensland side.You also have to acknowledge that a lot of Queenslanders fly to the Melbourne games as it's much easier to get a ticket than it is to the Suncorp game.

That all said, playing two games in either state is stupid and every year one game should be at a neutral venue to keep it fair. Even if Melbourne is perceived to be a QLD home match, there is nothing stopping NSW fans from flying down as well to even things up. There is also nothing stopping the ARL from moving the 3rd game to another city like Auckland or Perth.

Sounds like the only people to blame are the softcock NSW fans who won't prebook a $35 early Jetstar fare for their team.

Why don't they make it a tri series involving Victoria?

I ask this at work and people laugh at me but I'm being legit :lol:

Wouldn't it be in the best interest to expend it?

No Victorian players is the main issue :lol: