How $8 million knocked Origin off its axis

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The NRL stands to rake in $8 million dollars from the Queensland Government after handing Townsville the right to host the State of Origin series opener on June 9.

The $290 million Queensland Country Bank Stadium was today announced as the new venue for the Origin opener after the original MCG fixture was scrapped due to Melbourne's recent outbreak of COVID-19. 

The Queensland government's bid beat an eleventh hour move by the NSW government to hold the opener at Sydney's Bankwest Stadium, and a pitch by the ACT to hold it at the neutral ground of GIO Stadium. 

It means Brad Fittler's Blues will now be forced to play the first two games of the series north of the border, and if things go awry, it could all be over before they've had a chance to play on home soil in Game Three on July 14.

While the NRL said in its statement announcing the venue change that Townsville was chosen because it was the least likely city to experience another outbreak that could threaten the league's flagship event, it has since been revealed that a lucrative pay-day was a motivating factor behind the decision. 

While there were early whispers that Anastasia Palaszczuk's government had tabled a $6 million offer, Sydney Morning Herald columnist Andrew Webster told Nine's 100% Footy that the figure was closer to $8 million, which is believed to have dwarfed NSW's bid.

"The deal with the Victorian government was $3 million," Webster said. 

"The reports tonight are that the deal with Queensland government was $8 million. So, the NRL hit the jackpot there. 

"They're trying to say, and sugar coat it, saying the reason why it's in North Queensland is because it's as far away from any risk of an outbreak as possible. And that's their biosecurity advice. 

"That said, I think it's fundamentally wrong that the first two matches of the series are in the one state. That just doesn't make sense."

NRL guru and Origin legend Phil Gould believed too much was being made over the location of the opener, but was baffled as to why the traditional venues of Stadium Australia and Suncorp Stadium were overlooked in favour of a new ground.

"I don't care. Play on Anzac Parade, use a brick for a football, doesn't really matter," Gould told 100% Footy.

"My Origin venues are ANZ Stadium in Sydney and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. So, I just would have gone to either one of those, those are the Origin venues. 

"I'm not putting Townsville down, I'm not saying we shouldn't go there. It will be a nice experiment it will be good for the Townsville people to see it. But for me, as someone who was involved in Origin and the people who know Origin, Suncorp and ANZ Stadium are the Origin venues. 

"Why we didn't just pick one of them, I'll never know. I guess an 80,000 or a 50,000 crowd is not financially strong enough for whatever reason. But, see you in Townsville folks."

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