OPINION: International rugby league - and the Kiwis in particular - have been an easy target over the past few months.
And rightfully so, after the trainwreck that was New Zealand's World Cup campaign.
But the hate that's been directed at the Denver test has been over the top. This test is a good idea.
- State of Origin: Five (most recent) times the Blues blew it
- Issac Luke handed leadership responsibility for young Kiwis side
- Martin Taupau glowing of new Kiwis coach Michael Maguire
The Aussies decided they don't want to play mid-season tests anymore, so bye-bye Anzac Test. The options for New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) were simple - find another opponent or only play at the end of the year.
A representative weekend was set up to allow other nations to play and for State of Origin to get a Sunday spot in the calendar. Can you imagine the reaction if everyone else played this weekend, but NOT the Kiwis?
Let's deal with the obvious - absolutely a test against Tonga, Samoa or Fiji would be fantastic and preferable.
But for that to happen, NZRL would essentially have to fund the event.
Given the current mood around the national team, would you be prepared to bankroll a match in New Zealand and need to rely on a big crowd just to break even?
We're talking about the cost of hiring a venue, paying for the teams and support staff, covering insurance for NRL teams to release their players, promotion and advertising, accommodation…
Honesty check - outside of the rugby league purists, who would be excited about attending a game between the rebuilding Kiwis and England on our shores?
People struggled to show up to watch the New Zealanders at the World Cup last year - just over 11,000 attended the shock quarterfinal loss to Fiji.
Sport is a business and this is a business decision.
This weekend's Denver test is being funded by Moore Sports, who are also bringing the 2025 Rugby League World Cup to the United States. Anyone who gives a toss about rugby league should want that tournament to be a success.
What are the odds of it going well if 14 teams just rock up there in seven years, without exposing the American audience to the sport? Yeah, nah.
I don't expect the United States to suddenly embrace league as its new national past-time, but I also think the 13-man code has a better chance than rugby union. The rules are easier to understand, the comparisons to American football are closer and it's a more collision-based sport than union.
The Kiwis get the chance to be at the forefront, and with things like the haka and the fact they're not England, there's a chance to build a bit of a following in years to come.
Critics love to rip rugby league (again, with good reason) for not having enough international reach and credibility.
So what happens when the sport tries to improve both? It gets slammed for trying.
Hopefully, the Kiwis will have a stronger line-up to choose from in October, when they're set to host Australia on home soil. That is a rare occurrence and I know which test I'd rather NZRL ensured was played in front of a Kiwi audience.
Another reason it's a good thing? NRL clubs flexed their muscle and didn't get their way.
This is a step towards maturity for the sport.
There was a genuine chance the test would be called off, as franchises bristled at the idea of releasing their players. We still have players like Shaun Johnson and Gerard Beale being withdrawn from consideration by the Warriors, with the likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Tohu Harris making themselves unavailable.
But in general, the clubs have conceded to allow their players to go.
This is a big step forward. Teams that aren't Australia have been hamstrung time and time again as clubs come up with factitious injuries or excuses to hold players back from representing their country.
State of Origin is a much bigger risk to player welfare - some players backing up to play within 48 hours.
New South Wales and Queensland players miss more football than anyone involved in Sunday's American expedition will, yet we hear coaches going to great lengths to talk up their players' selection chances for that arena.
If you have a problem with the Denver game, you better be as vehemently vocal about the next time the All Blacks play games that don't involve the host nation in the US or Japan. Where's the furore about the ABs playing the Wallabies in Yokohama in October?
The Kiwis have a new coach, plenty of new players, and the chance to rebuild their style and culture. Getting the chance to do that first-up away from the national spotlight isn't a terrible thing either.
There is one clear and present way to make sure there are more tests played in New Zealand in the future - show up, put your backside on a seat and show you're prepared to put your money where your mouth is.
That's the one action that never gets ignored.
Sam Ackerman is Newshub sports director.
Join us at 8am for live updates of the NZ Kiwis vs England rugby league test.
