Opening a new NRL season with State of Origin will tarnish the image of rugby league's showpiece according to former stars Corey Parker and Braith Anasta.
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Parker, who played 19 games for Queensland during a 347-game NRL career, said the first priority should be getting rugby league back up and running, with Origin to be played at the end of the season.
The NRL is currently working on strategies to resume the season by late May, meaning crowds would still be restricted.
Parker said he couldn't imagine playing Origin without a crowd, while Anasta, who played 10 games for NSW between 2002-2008, said it would not be worth the risk to pick teams of players who haven't played in months.
"If we're going to do Origin it's either got to be mid or after the grand final; I think after the grand final," Anasta said on Fox Sports.
"If you look at Origin and what makes Origin and what makes it so good, it's because it's the best of the best.
"Also the crowd. The crowd makes Origin. If we try and start getting rugby league back with Origin there's going to be no crowd because of the restrictions.
"Imagine watching an Origin game with 17-a-side of guys who haven't played yet, and there's no one watching it. It's going to ruin the brand of Origin, it'll ruin the brand of Origin so why would you even risk it?"
The NRL's innovation committee will meet on Thursday to discuss ways to recommence the season as soon as possible, with all formats to be considered.
They will discuss a two-conference system with teams isolated into bubbles in NSW and Queensland, as well as ways to sell the new format to broadcasters.
Origin is the NRL's biggest money-spinner, generating up to $100 million for the game across the three-game series, and fitting it into the new schedule is a must.
"Our premier piece is the Origin series obviously, but we need to get the NRL back on to whatever format that may look like and then get the Origin series around that," Parker said.
"But to start with Origin, I disagree with that. I think it's really important for all 16 clubs, the staff and players to get back playing.
"If it's sooner rather than later like we're hearing ... I think with a 15-week comp there's an ability to put an Origin series in there. I just think the enormity that Origin is, and where it is right, now, you can't start with it."
Australian Associated Press
