King Wally cries foul over NSW Origin coup - ABC Online

Updated November 20, 2012 12:18:36

Maroons Origin legend Wally Lewis is disappointed the Queensland Government did not fight harder to keep two Origin home games in 2013.

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) is expected to announce two home games for Sydney in 2013 when it unveils its new seven-year Origin schedule in Sydney on Tuesday.

The original scheduling for Brisbane's Lang Park to have two games in 2013 was made before the new independent commission came into power at the start of the season.

It follows the 2012 Melbourne fixture being one of two New South Wales home games this year.

But a multi-million-dollar deal between the ARLC, the NSW Government and Sydney's Olympic stadium management seems to have reversed the home ground advantage for next year.

Queensland Sports Minister Steve Dickson says the state's debt has cost it the hosting rights to Origin matches.

He says the State Government could not afford a bidding war with New South Wales.

But Lewis said the Queensland Government is underestimating the importance and value of the Origin games to Queenslanders.

"Look anybody that doesn't fight hard hard to maintain a bit of loyalty and support for Queensland, I don't believe they're real Queenslanders," Lewis said.

"People that don't believe these games aren't the number one earner for Queensland need to go back to primary school."

Dickson argues it would be financially irresponsible for the Government to write any more large cheques.

"If it's about cheque books at the end of the day, maybe New South Wales may have a bigger chequebook than us," he said.

"We just can't afford to go blowing big bundles of money at this point in time, on Origin or anything else.

"We've really got to look at our debt. We've got a $65 billion debt and we've got to do everything we can to repay that."

New South Wales has been installed as favourite by bookies to break its seven-year losing streak to the Maroons in 2013.

Topics: rugby-league, sport, state-of-origin, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, sydney-2000, nsw

First posted November 20, 2012 11:59:58