No changes to Origin eligibility – Abdo

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo says State of Origin eligibility rules will not change, effectively ending Queensland’s plan to recruit Jason Taumalolo for the Maroons in 2021.

Viliame Kikau had also shown interest if the rules had changed.

Abdo revealed the ARL Commission had no plans to change the Origin criteria in the short or long term while reaffirming the game's commitment to make a call on a 17th NRL franchise based in Brisbane by July this year.

Taumalolo had expressed a desire to join new coach Paul Green’s Maroons this year but having represented New Zealand in the formative years of his career he is ineligible for Origin because he played for a tier-one country.

Abdo said the NRL were working towards creating an "international window" for the future but it would not alter any wording around the eligibility criteria for State of Origin.