CANBERRA has somehow edged its way overnight towards hosting a historic first State of Origin contest on short notice after currying favour with the NRL boss. 

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Melbourne has placed the MCG hopes to open the rugby league series in a fortnight on June 2 into some doubt.

The NRL has been forced to throw together contingency plans of alternative venues within 24 hours on Tuesday (May 25), with Brisbane already set to host the next game on June 27 and Sydney for the third on July 14.

“We are looking at several venues,” league chief executive Andrew Abdo told NRL.com.

While in one breath NRL officials insist there are no immediate plans to move the game,  plans are afoot to keep Origin I on neutral territory.

Abdo is understood to be leaning towards Canberra Stadium ahead of Perth and Adelaide should the number of cases in Melbourne increase from the nine people already isolated.

The ACT has never been granted one of the 124 Origin games that first began in Brisbane in 1980 and briefly was showcased during an exhibition but still recognised official 1981 match in Los Angeles before the three-games series first expanded into Victoria in 1990.

“It wouldn’t be uncommon for us to consider another, inverted commas, neutral state or territory,” Abdo said in reference to ACT.

The only concern during a phone hook-up would be maintaining Project Apollo’s standards in regards to health and biosecurity protocols that ensures the safety of players and staff.

But sticking to the strict protocols could jeopardise Melbourne Storm stars locked out of a return for club games and then possibly missing the rest of the Origin series.

“We have plotted it all up – it sits on multiple excel spreadsheets,” Abdo said.

“We have some of the best experts in the world advising us, and we will be ready for a shift in protocols to ensure that we protect the integrity and continuity of the competition, the community and the safety of the playing group as well.”