Townsville has thrown its hat in the ring to host the opening game of the State of Origin series, amid Melbourne’s COVID-19 outbreak.

The Premier is backing Queensland Country Bank Stadium, and Peter V’Landys has confirmed Townsville is an option, if the decision is made to move it from the MCG.

The game is scheduled just a week after Melbourne is due to come out of lockdown.

The NRL is expected to make a call by Monday, Scott Emerson said.

Nine commentator and ‘King of the north’ Johnathan Thurston said it would be great for North Queensland.

“I think we got good chances of hosting it, obviously it’s a brand new stadium, state of the art, world class stadium recently built,” he told Scott Emerson.

“Given what North Queensland has been through … no doubt North Queensland would turn up in their droves to watch it, the atmosphere in that place would be unlike anything I have seen before.”

Press PLAY below to hear why the opening game should stay in Queensland

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