League: Meninga wants to bring State of Origin to NZ

Queensland coach Mal Meninga. Photo / Getty Images.

The fierce interstate rivalry of Australia's State of Origin league series could soon be heading to Auckland if Queensland coach Mal Meninga gets his way.

Meninga believes the third game of each series should be taken beyond Brisbane and Sydney and outside of Australia to help promote the 13-man code, with Auckland appealing as a likely destination.

"Origin is our rugby league showpiece and I think we can have games outside of the two states," Meninga explained.

"We've got one in Brisbane, one each in Sydney and Melbourne this year but I can't see any reasons why we couldn't look at Brisbane, Sydney maybe Auckland, or Hong Kong or something like that down the track.

"If that occurs then we will bring Maroons camps over there of course as part of promoting rugby league in New Zealand."

Queensland have long enjoyed strong support on this side of the Tasman, since Graham Lowe was appointed as the first and so far only non-Australian to coach in the rugby league showpiece in the early 1990s.

Meninga is looking to capitalise on that support when he heads a Kiwi-specific Queensland membership drive in Auckland, together with former Queensland players Petero Civoniceva and ex-Warriors Brent Tate, during the week leading into the NRL Auckland Nines.

"We know we've got a strong Queensland membership base over there so we're coming over prior to the nines to meet our members and have a bit of a membership drive," said Meninga.

"It will be the 'Be MarooNZ' membership drive and I think it is something that we need to do.

"The Warriors are fantastic, the NRL Auckland Nines is fantastic so let's keep on the bandwagon and keep promoting league events in New Zealand. I see that as the future."