James Fisher-Harris leads the Kiwis haka against Australia. Photo: photosport
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NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster and co-captain James Fisher-Harris have called for a designated representative window during the NRL season to showcase State of Origin and international fixtures.
The traditional Aussie interstate series between New South Wales and Queensland kicks off on Wednesday at Brisbane, with Warriors co-captain Mitch Barnett lining up for the Blues, as they try to defend the crown they won last year.
"I love watching it," NSW fan Webster said. "I don't so much like the disruption it causes, but I can't wait."
Origin players sat out last weekend's NRL round, with the champion Penrith Panthers missing five of their stars, as they lost to Newcastle Knights. Barnett was absent from the Warriors' 16-10 loss to Canberra Raiders, who were also without second-rower Hudson Young.
Depending on how players emerge from the gruelling 'mate v mate' showdown, they may also miss next weekend's round, with teams facing two more weeks of similar uncertainty in June and July.
"I'd like to have chunks of rep footy - New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga all playing in the middle of the year, while Origin's on, with the girls' Origin, and then have a block where it's uninterrupted," Webster said.
"We're actually not the most interrupted [team] and I'm not complaining. Origin is one of my favourite things to watch, but I'd love to see other countries showcased through this time and we celebrate them.
"Instead of doing it at the end of the year, when the season's over, I feel like everyone should have their talents showcased right now.
"I feel like one of the reasons we don't is because of the English Super League, and it would be hard for them to come down and play, but I don't see why we can't have [New Zealand], Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji all playing in this period, and getting that content on television.
"If you had tickets to see Penrith playing in Bathurst, you were watching five of their best players not playing, after spending all that money. I don't think that's fair and I don't know any other code in the world that will just rip out their best players to go play for someone else."
International football has been an uncomfortable fit with the NRL season over the years.
In 2017, the Aussies slammed the door shut on 20 years of Anzac competition with New Zealand, because it disrupted the club season, but did not dare tinker with their Origin concept, which is just as intrusive.
The following year, other tests were scheduled around the second Origin game, with the Kiwis taking on England at Denver, Colorado, but Covid stalled that arrangement. In 2022, they played Tonga mid-season, but since 2023, international rivalries have been consigned to an October/November window.
"It's a long season and a good little 2-3 week break would be good to just break it up," Kiwis captain Fisher-Harris mused. "Twenty-seven rounds, plus finals, can be draining at times.
"Then again, other kids get opportunities through Origin, but I'm always pushing for more international games and I'm sure the other teams would be keen too.
Andrew Webster lines up with the Warriors for the Anzac round against Newcastle Knights. Photo: www.photosport.nz
"I've been on teams where seven [players] are gone, so it can be [disruptive] for clubs.
"I'm always pushing for international games, even just one throughout the year, but we'll see what happens."
New Zealand actually contested the 1997 Super League Tri-series against NSW and Queensland - run in opposition to the NRL Origin event - losing to both state sides.
They seemed on the verge of making the final, when winger Sean Hoppe scored a try in the dying moments against NSW, but the try was controversially disallowed, setting up a more commercially palatable NSW v Queensland decider.
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