Blues speedster Josh Addo-Carr says playing the State of Origin series after a drawn-out COVID-affected season is "like playing four grand finals" as league administrators toss-up whether the annual showpiece should return to its mid-season timeslot.
Addo-Carr backed up for the Origin opener just 10 days after being part of Melbourne's grand final victory over Penrith.
Both clubs have seen their Origin cohorts stretched to their limits, playing late into November off the back of a mammoth bye-less season.
Addo-Carr revealed he and his fellow grand final stars were beginning to feel the pinch.
"It's had its challenges but we just have to cope with it and deal with it," Addo-Carr said.
"As everyone knows, Origin is a mental game. It's like playing four grand finals.
"Myself, Dale [Finucane], [Ryan] Papenhuyzen, the Panthers boys - it's like playing three extra grand finals.
"It's extremely tough."
ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys floated the idea of keeping the State of Origin series a post-season fixture earlier in the year should it draw ratings.
"It's an interesting experiment to experiment this year to play State of Origin after the season because it ensured the integrity of the game throughout the year," V'landys told Nine's 100% Footy.
"You haven't got that break where teams lose out because all their good players are playing State of Origin.
"If it rates the roof off it could be a permanent change to have it after the season. So given our structure and schedule next season to the broadcasters, we can put both, the State of Origin in the middle and after the season. Because if it's a success and rates the roof off, we may leave it after the season's finish.
"If the State of Origin works after the season finishes then why change it? We'll perform better than any sport in Austalia financially if we can play every game."
Adelaide's Origin I was a ratings flop, drawing the smallest television audience since national figures became available in 2003.
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