The NRL has reportedly announced no changes to the State of Origin schedule, with games to be played across the regular six-week Origin format.
That is according to The Courier Mail, who are reporting NRL powerbrokers have ignored a major push from coaches and club bosses to reduce the Origin period to four weeks.
The Maroons will reportedly play their first two games away, with the Blues hosting the series opener at Accor Stadium on June 5.
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The MCG will then play host to the second Origin clash on June 26 before Suncorp Stadium will play host to the decider on July 17, on Maroons’ home soil.
Billy Slater, who has won back-to-back series as a coach, will have to overcome Queensland’s historically poor record at the MCG to secure another series victory.
The Maroons have lost four out of five games at the iconic venue, with their last victory coming during the 1995 series.
Following several players being injured and player availability dampening the talent pool in NRL games around the Origin period, coaches voiced their concerns.
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Super coach Wayne Bennett was one of the loudest voices and said that Origin needed to played over four weeks, pointing towards the 2020 series played during the Covid pandemic.
“Six weeks is too long and it takes a huge toll on the clubs and players,” Bennett said to News Corp in September.
“They can have a 10-day period leading into Origin I and then for Origin II and III you have a seven-day break between games.
“It’s the hardest preparing for Game One, but seven days is long enough for the other two games.”
