HOW WE WON ORIGIN
CAMPAIGN FOR LEAGUE’S SHOWPIECE
TWO years ago, Townsville would never have won a State of Origin.
The city didn’t have a state-ofthe-art $250m stadium and the Covid-19 pandemic was an event only seen in apocalyptic movies.
Back then, no one foresaw what 2020 was about to unleash on the world.
The opening of Queensland Country Bank Stadium in February of that year was a watershed moment for the region but as preparations progressed for the historic opening round between the Cowboys and Broncos coronavirus reared its ugly head.
It was only a last-minute announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that allowed the game to go ahead and 24,000 people packed the stadium.
After that crowds were banned. It was a disastrous start to a footy season designed to turn a city around.
Now 18 months on, the virus has ironically benefited rugby league fans across North Queensland.
With Melbourne poised to host Game One of Origin this year, a fourth Covid-19 outbreak threw the NRL into disarray.
Where would the game go and who could host an Origin at such short notice?
Quick action by Maroons coach Paul Green and local businessman Jamie Fitzpatrick, and some high-powered help from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Mayor Jenny Hill, put Townsville up as a contender to host the game.
It was no lay down mesere; in the early stages Canberra, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane all had their hands up for the match.
Canberra was the favourite and that didn’t sit well with the Maroons.
Mr Fitzpatrick saw the opportunity to rally Townsville for a concerted push to win the game.
After talks with Greeny, he hit the phones. Calls to state MPS, the mayor, local businesses, the Cowboys and the Townsville Bulletin got the plan moving.
MPS like Scott Stewart spoke to Sports Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe, Aaron Harper the Premier, and the Mayor used her connections with the State Labor Party to ram home her support.
The next morning Premier Palaszczuk stood up in parliament and told the nation that Townsville was ready to host Origin.
From there the campaign gained momentum. The Bulletin’s front page headline the next day read, “Bring it on. We’re Covid free and ready to host Origin”.
The front pages continued for days, rallying the community behind the idea.
But just when the community thought we had it in the bag, New South Wales put in a last-ditch effort to take the game to Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta.
That’s when the state government stepped up, offering up a safe alternative the NRL couldn’t refuse.
The exact amount the state treasury put forward to secure Origin is still just speculation.
Sources close to government say it was more than $5m while others in Blues territory say it was closer to $8m.
Whatever the amount, what the win does show is that when the people of Townsville work together for a goal, anything is possible.