KEY POINTS:
Stung by the departure of stars Mark Gasnier and Sonny Bill Williams, the NRL is desperately seeking new revenue streams so it can hold players in the face of big-money offers from Super League and union.
One new product worth considering is bringing a team of New Zealanders picked from the NRL into the State of Origin competition.
This would not be the Kiwis, rather a chance to test players so that they will be more reliable when thrown into the test arena.
Advantages: No late arrivals from England; player familiarity with the NRL style and each other; a stand-down week in which to prepare.
The last would make a huge difference and it's unlikely a team with good preparation behind it would be thrashed as the Kiwis have been in every Anzac test played in Australia.
It would give a coaching staff experience - selection of the likes of John Ackland or Tony Iro from the Warriors, NZ "A" and Auckland Vulcans coach Bernie Perenara or winning Canterbury coach Phil Prescott would trial them and give them experience ahead of the Kiwis job.
One possible crew from the 2008 season looks fairly formidable and would certainly compete close to level terms. If it included the departed Sonny Bill Williams and the injured Frank Pritchard and Roy Asotasi the team would be a real title prospect.
Fullback prospects include Kiwis Krisnan Inu and Sam Perrett but neither has reached great heights this year so Jason Nightingale who has filled in there for the Dragons leads the list.
The wing choices include Parramatta's Inu, Roosters Perrett and Shaun Kenny-Dowall but the form players are Warrior Manu Vatuvei who offers unstoppable power and the Sharks Luke Covell, a good high jumper to receive kicks and an accurate goal-kicker.
Centre options include the Roosters' Kiwi Iosaia Soliola but injury has hampered his season while Warrior Jerome Ropati has overcome a slow start after injury to hit top form and Manly's Steve Matai has been destructive on attack and in defence despite carrying injury.
There is a dearth of options at five-eighth as usual. Rooster Setaimata Sa is one but Bulldog Ben Roberts possesses a better field kicking game.
Halfback is a no-brainer, just one stand-out in Nathan Fien who has grown into the job at the Warriors, Souths Eddie Paea a possibility but he's been playing in reserves as has Jeremy Smith, while the Dragons' Rangi Chase is too erratic, hence his shift to Super League.
At prop there is leadership, strength and consistency from Nathan Cayless and wrecking ball ground-gain from mighty Jeff Lima. The Warriors' Sam Rapira is a great bench back-up as would be Shark Fraser Anderson.
Second rowers playing well are Warrior Simon Mannering, Mr Consistent, Jeremy Smith from the Storm, Anderson and Sa and the Broncos' Greg Eastwood. Eastwood makes the bench for utility value, able to cover for injury at secondrow and lock, five-eighth and centre.
Likewise Lance Hohaia who is a valuable back-up at dummy-half, halfback and five-eighth and fullback. Lock would be the Tigers' Dene Halatau.
There were nearly 60 Kiwi-bred players appearing regularly in the competition in 2008, a far cry from the days of Henry Tatana, the Sorenson brothers, Mark Graham, Hugh McGahan and others who could use one hand to count their countrymen in the premiership.
That is partly due to the credibility established by those who crossed the Tasman in the 70s and 80s, a reputation carried on by the likes of Brent Todd, Ruben Wiki, Quentin Pongia,
Stephen Kearney and Matthew Ridge in the 90s and solidified by the Warriors' entry to he competition since 1995. It is partly down to the fact that Aussie talent scouts are now at every schoolboy tournament held here.
And it is also due to the recent recognition of Polynesian power, athleticism and ball skills.
As that number keeps rising, so does the pool of talent available to the Kiwis and the likelihood New Zealand will compete on better footing and achieve something like parity in results, or at least halt the thrashings.
It is only when the Aussies think their team has a good chance of being beaten that they will fill the 82,500 seat Sydney Olympic Stadium.
Kiwi Origin XIII:
Jason Nightingale, Luke Covell, Steve Matai, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Ben Roberts, Nathan Fien, Nathan Cayless (c), Isaac Luke, Jeff Lima, Simon Mannering, Setaimata Sa, Dene Halatau.
Interchange Lance Hohaia, Sam Rapira, Fraser Anderson, Greg Eastwood.
