A New Years Eve Blockbuster | Thebigtip

If Barry O’Farrell and the New South Wales Government are looking for another premier event than look no further. Imagine the Australian rugby league team taking on a World XIII which included the likes of Benji Marshall, Sam Burgess, Manu Vatuvei and Jarryd Hayne. And it all took place on New Years Eve.

There has been talk recently of a hybrid rugby game between the Australians and New Zealand and figures of $80 000 match payments for each player. If a sum close enough to this was involved, why wouldn’t the world’s finest players want to be involved?

Imagine Sydney Harbour’s spectacular 9pm fireworks lighting up the city sky as the fulltime siren sounded. A ticket purchased for the game would then allow fans to come onto the field for a concert to bring in the new year.

Rugby league’s off-season is becoming smaller and smaller. The Four Nations tournement in the United Kingdom this year runs right through November with the Harvey Norman All-Stars game kicking off 2012 on February 4. Cricket’s stranglehold on Summer is no more. There is a mystifying assumption that its footy in the winter and cricket in the summer. Who made these rules?

A New Years Eve blockbuster would mean footy stays on the calendar all year round.

Unlimited interchange and extended benches would allow fragile coaches to sleep a little easier knowing their players weren’t being burnt out in the middle of pre-season training.

The Australian Kangaroos sell themselves. A team crammed with unbelievable talent and remarkable skill. A side boasting names like Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis, Paul Gallen and Sam Thaiday.

Now put these guys up against a side with Marshall, Burgess, Vatuvei, Sam Tomkins and Gareth Ellis and you’ve got an event people would kill to see.

Petero Civoneciva, Jarryd Hayne and Lote Tuquri could play as representatives of Fiji.

Feleti Mateo played for Tonga at the 2008 World Cup and would be a given after the season he had in the NRL.

Craig Gower and Anthony Minichiello have been selected in the Italian squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and would add some experience to the World side.

Jamal Idris could play and become Nigeria’s first and only rugby league international.

There are no limits when it comes to the imagination and what is possible if people in powerful positions keep pushing the envelope. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. We can say we tried.

Possible World XIII team:
Sam Tomkins (Eng), Anthony Minichiello (Italy), Jarryd Hayne (Fiji), Shaun Kenny-Dowell (NZ), Manu Vatuvei (NZ), Benji Marshall (NZ), Keiran Foran (NZ), James Graham (Eng), Issac Luke (NZ), Petero Civoneciva (Fiji), Gareth Ellis (Eng), Sam Burgess (Eng), Jamal Idris (Nigeria). Bench: Adam Blair (NZ), Feleti Mateo (Tonga), Lote Tuquri (Fiji), Adrian Morley (Eng), Craig Gower (Italy), Kevin Sinfield (Eng), Simon Mannering (NZ), Sam Rapira (NZ), Fui Fui Moi Moi (NZ).