In a week which the AFL would rather forget, it was encouraging to hear that the players, AFL and club CEO’s are supportive of a return to State of Origin football from 2013.
While I am a great supporter of the return of state football the big question is, how can State of Origin football fit in the AFL system?
For starters, State of Origin cannot return to being played every year nor cannot it be just one round of matches.
The reasons are simple; I cannot imagine a massive crowd for a one off SA vs. Qld match nor can I see the MCG being sold out for Victoria vs. Tasmania.
Also, if state football returns every season, the concept will wear thin with players, clubs and supporters.
These two issues destroyed State of Origin in the late 1990s and will almost certainly reappear if the origin is not managed properly.
But State of Origin does have a place in Aussie Rules. Before Rugby League SOO and for most of the 1980s, this was the premier state vs. state concept in the country.
State of Origin has a grand history with many enthralling battles taking place over the course of 25 years from the late 70s until 1999.
So how can the concept actually work?
Well firstly, State of Origin cannot be a one week event.
It needs to be played in a carnival setting with a four team top division (the tradition footy states in SA Victoria WA and Tasmania) and three team second division (NSW/ACT, Qld and the NT) played over three weeks.
The bottom team of the first division is relegated and the top team of the second division is promoted to give the lesser states a chance to match it with the big boys.
The next issue is timing. To keep the concept from overrunning the AFL season, it cannot be played every year. Instead, it should be played every three years to make State of Origin the equivalent of a world cup.
Also every three years, the International Rules between Australia and Ireland is not held which could make State of Origin the representative honour of the season.
I genuinely hope that we see a return of State of Origin football to the AFL. Wouldn’t it be great to see the best of the best taking on each other? But to keep it from being a one off, it cannot fall into the trap of mediocrity like it was 15 years ago.
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