SOO should be two games a year

[Guest]

I would probably prefer that system but it comes with its own issues as well. Whilst it's over in 2 weeks, it's still 3 weekends of no NRL which means the rest of the non origin players don't play for 4 weeks while the origin players continue playing. By the time the semis start you have the rest of the NRL playing a maximum 24 games but the origin guys as many as 27.

No. Nrl round finishes sunday of week 1, SOO players go into camp Monday, 1st origin game Saturday night of week 1, 2nd Origin game Thursday night of week 2, 3rd Origin game Tuesday of week 3, Clubs games resume Friday of week 3. that's 2 weekends missed of club footy, with 1 bye round remaining for all teams.

[Guest]

One game in a stand alone weekend.

Won't happen man.

[zac]

Not strictly speaking a roosters thread, but given the Origin period normally screws us, maybe scrapes in.

The NRL probably doesn't want to tinker with Origin, but to protect the integrity of the club competition - they should. With just two games per year, there would be less disruption to the season proper. With, from next year, a stand alone weekend for Origin, any disruptions from Origin footy would amount - injuries aside - to one week a year. It means that every series is simply, and more fairly, one game home and one game away.

How would a two game series work?

The holders of the Shield would need only one win from the series to retain the shield. First game of the series would always be in the home town of the State who didn't hold the Shield. That way, even if the away team (the holders of the Shield) won the first game, you'd probably still get a full house at the second game of the series as the locals came to cheer their victorious side and see their captain hold aloft the Shield. And given that home town advantage is big in Origin, the second (and last) game would often be a decider.

And how about establishing a less important award, perhaps the Beetson-Cronin Cup for the team who has the better point differential, giving the losers of the first game something - as well as (the very real) Origin pride - to play for.

Or, better, the Beetson-Cronin Cup should just go to the winner of the second game. Cleaner.

And both games should be on stand alone weekends - meaning less, if any, byes during the year. And - injuries and suspensions aside - clubs would have access to their best players year round.

[Guest]

Yes the Beetson-Cronin cup is a very important title. It means so much to players, coaching staff and supporters. Not.

[zac]

Yes the Beetson-Cronin cup is a very important title. It means so much to players, coaching staff and supporters. Not.

What Artie did to Mick Cronin kind of sums Origin up ... but maybe you're right about not having another award to play for other than the Shield. Bit gimmicky. And, after all, there's still Origin pride to play for, even if the second game is not a decider which, given that the challenging team gets the first home game, it normally will be.

Can't say I agree with your support for three games of Origin disrupting the season.

[The Sack]

Just play one game. If Queensland win the first game, give them the series. Maybe a five games series, so NSW still have a chance to win.

[Mickie Lane]

Before SOO this year I thought Pearce should not be picked because I believed he owed it to the Roosters but with Reynolds getting injured I cant work out for the life of me why Pearce hasnt been picked for game 3. I have said this many times Pearce is the toughest & best defensive halfback in the game & him & Maloney would be the best choice for NSW for game 3.