ARL chief executive Geoff Carr has refused to rule out the prospect of a State of Origin game being played in New Zealand at Auckland's Eden Park.

The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) have previously enquired about hosting an Origin match and Carr said, if a financial package can be agreed upon, it could see the interstate rivalry played outside Australia for the first time since 1987 when NSW beat Queensland in California.

"We were in New Zealand this week meeting about the Four Nations and they have raised Origin before and they did so again on this occasion," Carr told AAP.

"Origin is a very popular event for stadiums because it is midweek and it is in winter, and major cities want it because it fills hotel rooms."

Melbourne have hosted Origin games in recent years and Carr said the newly redeveloped Eden Park, which will host the Rugby World Cup final in 2011, would be a perfect venue.

"State of Origin is very popular in New Zealand and although it will always remain an Australian event, Eden Park wouldn't be out of the question, it is just about the money," he said.

However, Carr ruled out taking the series any further overseas than New Zealand or following the route of the Australian Rugby Union who played Bledisloe Cup matches against the All Blacks in Hong Kong and Tokyo.

"We play in the middle of the season so we have to be mindful of clubs who let their players stand down for three weeks, as often they have to play again on the Friday," he said.

"We're locked into the current deal until 2012 and although we are not going to say moving a game to New Zealand can't happen, it would be an exaggeration to say it will."

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