State of Origin 2021 - Game 1, 8:10 PM, Wednesday 9 June | Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, Qld

HaroldBishop · Jun 1, 2021

CrazyMatt said:
I’m saying there is an obvious difference between hosting games 1/3 and games 1/2, which I’ve already explained so I’m not going to ****ing repeat myself especially if your response is just going to be ‘just get on with it’ and ‘your whinging for the sake of whinging’. So yes my solution was to give game 1 to either the team that hosts game 3 or, more preferably, another neutral venue. Apparently Canberra was keen to step in.

I’m not whinging for the sake of whinging, I’m calling out a bad call by the NRL which has handed a huge advantage in my opinion to one state over another. That’s something worth getting a bit annoyed about in my view.

I know me posting here doesn’t change anything but again, it’s an open forum and I’m allowed to express my opinion that I think they’ve done NSW dirty.

Of course you are mate, I'm not saying you can't.

I wouldn't have minded a neutral* venue but I think the short notice would have made it a bit hard to arrange.

*I don't really consider Canberra to be neutral.

CrazyMatt · Jun 1, 2021

HaroldBishop said:
Of course you are mate, I'm not saying you can't.

I wouldn't have minded a neutral* venue but I think the short notice would have made it a bit hard to arrange.

*I don't really consider Canberra to be neutral.

I kinda agree that it’s naive to think Canberra would be a 100% neutral venue (then again Melbourne isn’t either, they hate NSW a hell of a lot more then they hate QLD). But out of the options available at short notice I’d say it’s the most neutral available, well unless Adelaide, Perth or NZ put their hands up which I didn’t hear that they did or not.

snowman · Jun 1, 2021

CrazyMatt said:
I’m saying there is an obvious difference between hosting games 1/3 and games 1/2, which I’ve already explained so I’m not going to ****ing repeat myself especially if your response is just going to be ‘just get on with it’ and ‘your whinging for the sake of whinging’. So yes my solution was to give game 1 to either the team that hosts game 3 or, more preferably, another neutral venue. Apparently Canberra was keen to step in.

I’m not whinging for the sake of whinging, I’m calling out a bad call by the NRL which has handed a huge advantage in my opinion to one state over another. That’s something worth getting a bit annoyed about in my view.

I know me posting here doesn’t change anything but again, it’s an open forum and I’m allowed to express my opinion that I think they’ve done NSW dirty.

Canberra isnt a neutral venue, Adelaide is

CrazyMatt · Jun 1, 2021

snowman said:
Canberra isnt a neutral venue, Adelaide is

Look at my post above. I kinda agree it isn’t 100% neutral, but it’s more neutral then what Townsville is. I didn’t hear Adelaide put their hand up to host the game, that would of been my first preference along with Perth.

Gards · Jun 1, 2021

Melbourne was only neutral technically speaking - the mexicans dont generally like NSW and they have had plenty of storm based club players to cheer for from the QLD teams

Always felt like the blues supporters were out numbered and the crowd was going with the QLDers so kinda of an away game for the blues anyway

will agree that Townsville swings it well towards QLD but they had to play the game somewhere and apparently wasn't enough time logistically or proportionally to move it to somewhere like Perth

I think the 2 teams line up nicely and should be a good series. going for blues but **** Nathan Cleary and I want to see Capewell go well

BurgoShark · Jun 1, 2021

As a Qlder I wouldn't have been upset if it went to BankWest. It's just the nature of Covid-normal. I certainly think there would have been a few Qlders whinging though.

In the end the decision to send it to Townsville would not have been football related at all. There will have been commercial reasons and Covid reasons. Origin 1,2 and 3 are the 3 biggest money-making events on the NRL calendar. They had to go ahead and Townsville is low risk.

**

Interestingly, the GF is 5th in terms of profit. They make more out of the All Stars game than the GF because the Qld government donates use of the stadium for that event. When it was at Suncorp I believe they may also have picked up the tab for the "free" public transport, which is about $500k+ per event.

Sparkles · Jun 1, 2021

CrazyMatt said:
I ****ing care because I want both teams to get a fairer series. So no, question need to be asked about this and last time I checked this is an open forum where I’m allowed to express my opinion that they’ve created an unbalanced series where they didn’t ****ing need too.

I have no doubt the players will just get on with it but that doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t allowed to call out the NRL on it.

Cattledog!!!

Gards · Jun 1, 2021

agree burgess SOO is too much of a money spinner for the admin to risk missing out on a stack of revenue (which was probs already factored into their yearly budget)

Townsville has a new stadium and will pull a crowd it makes sense financially . I actually thinks it's pretty cool for the locals up there

If NSW is smart they will play the adversity campaign out and use this as extra motivation to stage an ambush

Sparkles · Jun 1, 2021

HaroldBishop said:
Of course you are mate, I'm not saying you can't.

I wouldn't have minded a neutral* venue but I think the short notice would have made it a bit hard to arrange.

*I don't really consider Canberra to be neutral.

No, Canberra wouldn't be neutral. Hold it in Coffs... The supporters could all wear the Sharks jersey, it's close enough

CrazyMatt · Jun 1, 2021

burgess1978 said:
As a Qlder I wouldn't have been upset if it went to BankWest. It's just the nature of Covid-normal. I certainly think there would have been a few Qlders whinging though.

In the end the decision to send it to Townsville would not have been football related at all. There will have been commercial reasons and Covid reasons. Origin 1,2 and 3 are the 3 biggest money-making events on the NRL calendar. They had to go ahead and Townsville is low risk.

**

Interestingly, the GF is 5th in terms of profit. They make more out of the All Stars game than the GF because the Qld government donates use of the stadium for that event. When it was at Suncorp I believe they may also have picked up the tab for the "free" public transport, which is about $500k+ per event.

Gards said:
agree burgess SOO is too much of a money spinner for the admin to risk missing out on a stack of revenue (which was probs already factored into their yearly budget)

Townsville has a new stadium and will pull a crowd it makes sense financially . I actually thinks it's pretty cool for the locals up there

If NSW is smart they will play the adversity campaign out and use this as extra motivation to stage an ambush

Yeah I’m not a rube. I know the true reasons Townsville was given the game. More cash. It doesn’t mean I can’t be angry and disillusioned that they’ve compromised the integrity of the series for the extra cash. But greed will be greed.

HaroldBishop · Jun 1, 2021

CrazyMatt said:
Yeah I’m not a rube. I know the true reasons Townsville was given the game. More cash. It doesn’t mean I can’t be angry and disillusioned that they’ve compromised the integrity of the series for the extra cash. But greed will be greed.

Not really. Remember the majority of funds used to pay salary caps is derived from SOO. They have to do what makes sense financially for their biggest money spinner, especially after dropping money last year due to Covid.

I have no doubt Perth would have been an option if they had more time, much bigger stadium.

I think what they've done makes sense.

apezza · Jun 1, 2021

I'm NSW through and through but personally don't mind Townsville. It's a brand new stadium and having worked there a few times they love their footy and probably deserve an event like this.

The whole community and surrounding area will get right behind it.

If it was at Canberra or Bankwest I think people would attend but you wouldn't get that community feel to it.

Gards · Jun 1, 2021

yea it's not greed - it's just business sense, the game needs money to grow and survive

Abdo and Vlandy's arn't sitting on some remote island sipping cocktals and smoking cigars with hookers

Sir Chadley · Jun 1, 2021

Gards said:
yea it's not greed - it's just business sense, the game needs money to grow and survive

Abdo and Vlandy's arn't sitting on some remote island sipping cocktals and smoking cigars with hookers

I couldn't see Greenburg doing that either but maybe he substituted something else.

common · Jun 1, 2021

Origin is for QLD anyway. Besides, if QLD aren't winning, their supporters don't back them. Would be dead again. Simple. So QLD will always have any advantage in Origin, just how it goes.

Flanno · Jun 1, 2021

Agree with CM & Common. It’s BS really that two games are in QLD, considering the last time one of the states had two games it was also QLD. But like Common says, it’s always all about QLD. When they lost a few series back before they dominated, everyone was saying Origin was dead.

All this just makes me want to see NSW beat them even more.

BurgoShark · Jun 1, 2021

Kaufusi cleared.

No Hess!!!!!

Capital_Shark · Jun 1, 2021

CrazyMatt said:
Apparently Canberra was keen to step in.

Canberra gov offered $0.

QLD gov offered $8M.

vicsharkfan · Jun 1, 2021

Capital_Shark said:
Canberra gov offered $0.

QLD gov offered $8M.

Anastasia really trying to become the post covid sporting capital of Oz

Sharkmate · Jun 1, 2021

Capital_Shark said:
Canberra gov offered $0.

QLD gov offered $8M.

I'd say 9 would have had a say as exclusive broadcaster. They'd prefer a bigger ground that allowed them more space to do their pre-game bs.

State of Origin 2021 - Game 1, 8:10 PM, Wednesday 9 June | Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, Qld

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