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At least once a month, the debate of whether the AFL should revive State of Origin or introduce an All-Star game seems to arise.
For as long as the AFL is going to neglect the issue, the debate will rage throughout media outlets, workplaces, pubs and schools across the country.
There is no doubting that the AFL is missing out on a possible goldmine.
Across the world there are many examples of successful events in all different sports. Close by, the NRL has an All Stars game and a world-renowned State of Origin series every season.
It is well known that getting the chance to represent their home state or heritage is a huge incentive for footallers in the eastern states. Unlike the AFL, the NRL administrators aren’t afraid to risk possible injuries, which means they can put on the best spectacle possible.
The recent NRL All Stars versus Indigenous All Stars game is a great example of how much the public enjoy seeing the best of the best go at it. The regular encounter is now an unofficial season launch.
While this was all going on, the AFL attempted a similar contest by setting up an Indigenous team to play Richmond. The drastic lack of publicity and coverage should have been embarrassing.
Once again I believe it all comes back to the AFL’s fear of losing one or two stars to injury and having them miss some of the regular season.
This naive outlook becomes laughable when you realise that two of the biggest sporting leagues in the world, both financially and in terms of popularity, hold regular All Star showcases.
The NBA and the NFL are multi-billion dollar industries, but they don’t mind letting their superstar players who have contracts worth tens of millions of dollars play in these showpiec events.
They do this because they know that it is an important part of the spectacle that is the NBA and the NFL. What if Lebron or Kobe did a knee and missed a year? Well, what if? Even with this in mind, they still let them play.
I hope that some time in the near future the AFL realises that bringing back State of Origin or introducing a regular All Star game would add a whole new dimension to the season and would more than likely be a huge success.
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February 14th 2013 @ 4:46am
AndyMack said | February 14th 2013 @ 4:46am | Report comment
I think everyone loves the idea of a SOO game, or an all-stars game, as long as their players are not injured.
Its a funny situation, where in the NRL, coaches want their players to make the Origin team, as the theory is they come back to the team as better players. This doesnt seem to work in AFL, its an intanglible, but its there.
I dont even know why, but i want my Sharks players to make Origin, but i dont really want my Pies players to make any origin or all-stars game. Maybe RL origin games mean so much more than in AFL….
February 14th 2013 @ 5:09am
Cameron said | February 14th 2013 @ 5:09am | Report comment
” dont even know why, but i want my Sharks players to make Origin, but i dont really want my Pies players to make any origin or all-stars game. Maybe RL origin games mean so much more than in AFL”
Thi sums it up. RL SOO is simply deemed by the public, players and coaches as more important and therefore they are willing to pay the price of potentially costing their clubs premierships through injury.
In the AFL the premiership is more important than anything, so why risk jeopadising this for an exhibition game?
The two state matches that constitute RL SOO are perfect because it makes for an obvious rivalry, but the multiple state nature of Australian Rules does not make for convinent rivalry.
Also, citing the NFL probowl as an example of successful rep matches is strange – did you see the last installment? What a joke!
February 14th 2013 @ 6:14am
AndyMack said | February 14th 2013 @ 6:14am | Report comment
This is right. The AFL origin games are seen as an exhibition, whereas the SOO games in RL are seen as the toughest comp in the world, everyone wants to play in it (including Kiwis….)
Not sure how this will change to be honest, Which is a shame, would love to see SOO in afl as well, but not sure it has the legs….
February 14th 2013 @ 8:29am
Ian Whitchurch said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:29am | Report comment
You’ve summed up why Origin is bad for rugby league – because it makes the NRL premiership look second-rate.
This sucks fan and sponsor attention away from the week-in, week-out competition that keeps players paid and clubs going.
Its no coincidence that the weakest codes in Australia – cricket and rugby union – are the ones that rely most heavily on rep games.
February 14th 2013 @ 9:14am
Dingo said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:14am | Report comment
I actually think SOO is good for RL. Around that time of the year there is virtually saturation coverage in the media, surely that’s good.
I get what you say about it making regular games take a back seat and I can’t understand how coaches and fans of club teams can prefer their state team taking priority over club, but most seem to.
Rugby League certainly doesn’t appear to be suffering because of SOO, on the contrary.
February 14th 2013 @ 9:28am
AndyMack said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:28am | Report comment
agree Dingo, dont think it is bad for RL at all. I guess ian is saying it is bad for the NRL comp, which i can understand, but agree with you that it is great coverage etc for the game of RL.
February 14th 2013 @ 9:19am
Pot Stirrer said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Origin doesnt detract from the premiership. The Grand Final is every bit as big a event for the code and fans as AFLs’s. AndyMack hit the nail on the head i think when he said due to the many states involved. Whats great about Origin is its like having a best of 3 grand final series for all fans but it does only work becuase of the Rivalry between NSW & QLD. What would be awesome for AFL would be a proper international match.
February 14th 2013 @ 9:29am
AndyMack said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:29am | Report comment
thanks PS, i get so few compliments….
February 14th 2013 @ 10:06am
Ian Whitchurch said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:06am | Report comment
Pot Stirrer,
Yeah it does.
The first third of the season are regarded as selection trials for Origin.
The second third of the season is dominated by who is available, and who is off on Origin duty.
The third third of the season sees clubs try and either recover from, or take advantage of, the games they won or lost while stars were off on Origin duty.
Im not even going to start with what having to choose Queensland or NSW does for the chances of developing the code outside those states.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:39am
barneybuck said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:39am | Report comment
“Origin doesnt detract from the premiership. The Grand Final is every bit as big a event for the code and fans as AFLs’s”
Apart from SOO and their GF their is the NRL and then daylight to the AFL on Crowds, Members, Media coverage around the Nation and TV ratings esp now Foxtel jas blanket coverage in HD.
The AFL dosent need SOO because it is already the biggest winter code week in week out.
February 15th 2013 @ 10:00am
Brendon said | February 15th 2013 @ 10:00am | Report comment
I live in Adelaide and SOO and GF are the only Rugby that get’s any coverage at all here (Unfortunately) but it’s on in prime time now and most pubs, so SOO cannot as Ian says be bad for the game given it spreads the brand, I also don’t see it in anyway tarnishing the premiership, does the World Cup tarnish the EPL in Soccer? It’s the same thing, rep games where players are taken from the comp to compete for another organisation.
As the AFL have no world cup and no SOO, I for one think it is sorely missing a rep type of game, who wouldn’t want to to see the best of the best? The problem is easy fixed, pay the players big bucks and make the clubs give them up, legislate it and punish clubs that fake injuries etc.
Aside from that, seriously, who bags RL SOO? Fun police? It is awesome!
February 15th 2013 @ 10:05am
Pot Stirrer said | February 15th 2013 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Touche Brendon. Well said
February 14th 2013 @ 10:25am
Pot Stirrer said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Ian, while you makes some relevant points its the view of someone who is not an avid RL fan. The reality is
it doesnt make that big a difference. Clubs have byes to cover for the loss of origin players, its only a maximum 3 games that are effected. The best 8 sides still made the finals and the best 2 sides still played in the GF with all thier players available. SOO is awesome for the profile of the game. Even people who do not follow sport take a side when its Origin time. Sponsors sign up with clubs based on the clubs players profile and being a SOO player is the best way to build your profile as a player. I dont know how you can call cricket one of the weakest codes. Never heard the saying the Aust Cricket Captain is the second most important job in the country.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:43am
Ian Whitchurch said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:43am | Report comment
Pot Stirrer,
You’re continuing to emphasise why Origin is bad for rugby league.
In exchange for three good crowds, you cripple three home and away rounds.
“Sponsors sign up with clubs based on the clubs players profile and being a SOO player is the best way to build your profile as a player”. Cronulla captain Paul Gallen also captains NSW … and that hasnt helped the Sharkies get a shirt sponsor.
Origin’s got a full slate of sponsors though.
Yeah, cricket’s the weakest of the professional sports in Australia. The Queensland Cup and the WAFL both get better crowds than the Sheffield Shield does, and at the one fully professional cricket side full of players who earn more than plumbers do gets crowds better than 30 000 what, ten times a year ?
February 14th 2013 @ 12:35pm
Matt F said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
“Cripple” is a strong word. Of the three H&A rounds directly impacted by Origin only one got a much worse weekend crowd average than normal rounds and that could be put down to 4 of the 5 matches being hosted by teams in the bottom five for average attendances for the season as well as the torrential rain in Sydney over that weekend
February 14th 2013 @ 1:06pm
Pot Stirrer said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Ian, Why are you so threatened by RL and SOO, If you wernt you woudnt be looking to bag the game. Your comments make no sense what so ever. RL just signed a broad cast deal on Par or allbut par wih the AFL. Funny how you can bag cricket when Aust is currently no 2 in the world i think. Reading your posts its quite clear your envious of the representative contests RL,Soccer,RU,Cricket,Hockey,
Womens Cricket and Hockey have.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:26pm
Ian Whitchurch said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
Pot Stirrer,
I note that you havent actually answered any of my points about Cronulla’s issues with sponsorship, despite having one of the best players in Origin, or the fact that not a lot of Australians actually pay money to turn up to cricket games.
Anything that distracts from the week-in, week-out club competition weakens a code, and that includes rep games.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:33pm
Pot Stirrer said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Ian i dont follow the Sharks so i dont know the intracacies of whats going on there. What i will say though is that if every other NRL Club can get a major sponsor aswell as every other AFL and Soccer club then i would be questioning the CEO of the Sharks as they are obviously doing something wrong. However to draw on one example out of 14 clubs is hardly something to hang your argument on as proof.
February 14th 2013 @ 9:21am
Australian Rules said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:21am | Report comment
NRL Origin shows the best and worst aspects of a big rep game spectacle.
Best – because it’s 3 massive showpiece events that garner huge ratings and showpiece the sport at its absolute top level. It swallows the media in Australia and piques interest overseas. In the 90s the old ARL admin wanted to make it bigger than Ben Hur and it turned out to be even bigger.
Worst – because each year it gouges a huge chunk out of the regular season. Crowds drop, ratings drop and the game (almost unwittingly) reinforces itself as a 2-state code. It is also the best standard of league anywhere in the world, meaning that it undermines international league.
In terms of the NBA/NFL comparison, both have a conference system which lends itself to an All-Stars game. It would not work to the same extent in the AFL…and needless to say, it would always suffer by the inevitable comparisons to teh League version.
The AFL community have moved on from Origin – leave it be.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:30am
Pot Stirrer said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Agree but also think it hurts the AFL with there expansion into NSW that there is no contest that doesnt revolve around club loyaltys to get an interest from potential new fans.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:47am
Ian Whitchurch said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:47am | Report comment
But thats the entire *point*.
The AFL wants fans to be fans of clubs, not tuning in or going to the three games a year their State side plays in.
February 14th 2013 @ 12:36pm
Matt F said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
I imagine the fact that players were withdrawing for very suspect injuries was another reason for the AFL ditching the concept.
February 14th 2013 @ 4:13pm
Australian Rules said | February 14th 2013 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
Pot
It’s never been the AFL’s strategy to have a ritzy fireworks one-off event to try and lure new people to the game.
In fact, it’s the opposite.
Their plan is a slow burn – start with grassroots, appeal to kids, provide a school set-up – and hopefully, the result will be a stable, well-supported Giants by 2032.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:16am
Big rig said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:16am | Report comment
It simple…
League players have only ever come from 2 states in Aus. NSW and QLD. Perfect for a state of origin. ( Detrimental to the NRL trying to be a “national” brand)
AFL players come from every state in Australia.
As much as I would love to see Victoria vs South AUstralia again, players like Buddy Franklin, Jack Reiwoldt, Nic Nat all missing out just does not showcase AFL’s best talent anymore.
It is clear the Rugby League State of Origin has surpassed their Premiership season.
THe AFL’s Premiership season will not play second fiddle to anything which is a strong stance by the AFL…
February 14th 2013 @ 12:13pm
Tiger said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
Actually big rig, there are nrl players from nsw, Qld, act, vic, nt, sa and wa, as well as from nz, png, Fiji, tonga and the uk. Just a tad bit more than 2 states hey?
February 14th 2013 @ 12:25pm
clipper said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
Pretty sure that ACT, NT, NZ, PNG are not states of Australia (even if PNG gets a fair bit of aid)
February 14th 2013 @ 1:13pm
Buffy said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Pretty sure you are wrong Clipper as the Storm had 3 born and bred Victorian playing against Canberra in a game last week in Geelong. Plus many NRL players have come from Western Australia over the years.
February 14th 2013 @ 3:00pm
clipper said | February 14th 2013 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
Did you read my post? I said nothing about who was born where, just than ACT, NT, NZ and PNG are not states of Australia!
February 14th 2013 @ 1:21pm
Diablo said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
After 30 years of expansion into NSW/QLD the AFL has managed to draft the grand total of ONE Queenslander this season. Currently, 70% of players, crowds and TV ratings come from just ONE State.
AFL State of Origin died because no formula could be found to make it interesting. Rugby League has 2 powerful, evenly matched States and a competitive series. AFL has 1 powerful State, 2 medium States and 1 weak AFL State. This resulted in uncompetitive games with huge blowouts and AFL fans lost interest in the concept.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:47pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
LOL, yet they are so evenly matched that NSW has not won since when ….. in fact if it was not for QLD passion, the series would not exist.
And FYI there are 50+ QLDers on AFL club lists, thats quite good.
Plenty of talent in QLD, and plenty slip through the QLD net, which has been tightened substantially recently with the QLD academies that have around 800 boys in them.
Tom Bell from Carlton is a QLDer who slipped through the QLD AFL club recruiters.
February 14th 2013 @ 5:16pm
me, I like football said | February 14th 2013 @ 5:16pm | Report comment
less than 50% of players are from Victoria, with less than 65% of the crowds. don’t know about TV but I’m guessing around the 50% mark.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:30pm
TC said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:30pm | Report comment
I once saw Fox Footy ratings split by mainland state, which showed 48% of total ratings coming from Victoria (and then going from memory), 17% from WA, 13% from SA, 11.5% from Qld and 10.5% from NSW.
In other words, ratings from NSW are almost one-quarter of the numbers from Victoria, which I suspect would surprise a lot of people.
February 16th 2013 @ 5:43pm
Phelpsy said | February 16th 2013 @ 5:43pm | Report comment
Just out of curiosity does anyone have the overall rating figures for afl last year … Both fox and fta combined …. Oh and regionals ? Just wo wondering how the afl did. Snd the top shows for fox as well as curious whether nrl still had the top 77 or whatever top rating shows on fox ?
February 14th 2013 @ 8:09pm
Floyd Calhoun said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:09pm | Report comment
We need to get one thing straight, the ARL copied the SOO concept from Aussie footy. And yes, it’s been a success due to the dual state set up. But, it’s highly debatable that they could have come up with the idea on their own. They’ve never been an organization renowned for foresight and innovation.
February 14th 2013 @ 8:54pm
Anthony said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:54pm | Report comment
You are wrong, Diablo. We Sth Aussies never lost interest in games against the Vics – until the Crows were admitted into the AFL. Then it became a truly national competition, & we couod haveinterstate games every week.
When I first heard about rugby league (about 40 years ago) it was pointed out to me that their club competitions got much smaller crowds because RL fans were more interested in interstate & international games than the local league. Congrats to the ARL for cashing in on that & copying SOO from the Aussue Rules states.
Is there any other country that has interstate games as the pinnacle of their sport?
February 15th 2013 @ 9:28pm
Floyd Calhoun said | February 15th 2013 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
No.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:23pm
Boomshanka said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
Mahe Fonua – Born and Bred Victorian – plays for the Melbourne Storm.
If he’d aspired to play Victorian Rules, he wouldn’t be playing in the world cup challenge next weekend on the other side of the planet.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:57pm
Redb said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
No doubt from an expat family from NZ or NSW.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:01pm
Boomshanka said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:01pm | Report comment
Comment modified by moderators – Redb’s comment isn’t inherently intended to be racist, just biased against NRL developing talent in Victoria.
February 14th 2013 @ 4:34pm
Redb said | February 14th 2013 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Correct. It is in fact the very same comment made by RL folk about NSW or QLD kids taking up AFL in those states, “they must be expats”
February 14th 2013 @ 2:09pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
Speaking of our Kiwi friends,
http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-02-12/dees-sign-scholarship-player
February 14th 2013 @ 2:52pm
TW said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
Good for international footy this signing. This recruiting was a result of the AFLNZ holding their Combine which had players involved from all of the 5 provinces where our game has a presence albeit very small in some instances. There will be growth to 6 provinces this year in the NZAFL National Provincial Championships.
The AFL Dees are prepared to make a punt on this player – He looks ok -Ideal build for the current AFL player type of that height and weight. His aerobic capacity not acceptable for AFL standards but that can get fixed.
The AFL is now holding Combines in several countries looking for talent.
February 14th 2013 @ 3:06pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
Looks like a Sharrod Wellingham type, tall running player.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:55am
Martin said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:55am | Report comment
I am opposed to State of Origin footy because it will distract away from the main objective of winning a premiership. So many players would make themselves unavailable to play SOO because they know it is more important to win a premiership for their club. A premierhship is the holy grail.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:22am
Melbourne is the New Adelaide said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:22am | Report comment
Do you really believe there is a “raging” debate about this topic throughout media outlets, workplaces, pubs and schools across the country?
Tell ‘em he’s dreamin’
February 14th 2013 @ 11:28am
Bunny Colvin said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:28am | Report comment
By “Showpiece” you mean “Exhibition game” like the NRL State of Origin?
We actually invented it in Aussie rules in the 1970s.
It had some validity when we had separate leagues up to the end of the 1980s and there was an unknown element to it. Now, we see these blokes week in week out.
It works in NRL because fans are just not that into the club games like the AFL. So fans up in NSW and QLD or RL show their interest a couple of times of year for the showpiece games, then practically ignore the club scene.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:58am
Craig said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:58am | Report comment
@ Bunny Colvin
“It works in NRL because fans are just not that into the club games like the AFL. So fans up in NSW and QLD or RL show their interest a couple of times of year for the showpiece games, then practically ignore the club scene.”
The fact that you said that shows how little you know about Rugby League.
February 14th 2013 @ 12:16pm
Tiger said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
If they ignore the club scene, why is it the highest tv rating sport in Australia? It is also the biggest domestic ‘rugby’ comp on earth for crowds! Hardly ignored!
February 14th 2013 @ 12:24pm
Redb said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
The NRL is not the highest TV rating sport in Australia, that is the AFL.
February 14th 2013 @ 12:31pm
Bunny Colvin said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
Cricket and a myriad of other sports get better ratings than NRL.
Sydney is not “all of Australia”. And Foxtel does not constitute “highest ratings”. Foxtel gets outrated by SBS and on occasion Channel 31′s “Blokeworld” and “Vassili’s Garden”.
February 14th 2013 @ 12:54pm
Timmuh said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
Given that neither NRL or AFL are sports, both statements are false.
As to whether Rugby League or Australian Football rates higher, a lot depends on how you interpret the figures. With the AFL’s FTA/Fox simulcast, and different games on FTA in different markets, it is difficult to really get a guage for it.
And some of rugby league’s biggest viewing is outside the NRL, SoO is generally bigger than club games.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:50pm
Michael said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
I thought we cleared this up last year when the AFL left the NRL for dead in both crowds and tv ratings for the finals series, and then in the most comparable GF’s ever the AFL again won.
February 24th 2013 @ 10:27pm
Big Bert said | February 24th 2013 @ 10:27pm | Report comment
Here’s Think TV Ratings for last year:
http://www.thinktv.com.au/SiteMedia/w3svc371/Uploads/Documents/Weekly%20Ratings%20Report%20-%20Week%2039%20&%2040%202012.pdf
So at this stage the top 5 Sports Broadcasts this year
1. STATE OF ORIGIN QLD V NSW 3RD – MATCH 4,023
2. STATE OF ORIGIN RL QLD V NSW 1ST – MATCH 3,942
3. RUGBY LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 3,875
4. STATE OF ORIGIN RL NSW V QLD 2ND – MATCH 3,853
5. AFL: GRAND FINAL: HAWTHORN V SYDNEY 3,829
February 14th 2013 @ 1:29pm
Boomshanka said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
The concept of playing for your county or “State of Origin” was first used in Rugby League back in 1895 (Lancashire v Yorkshire – based on players region of birth) some 82 years before “Aussie Rules” cottoned onto the concept.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_League_War_of_the_Roses
February 14th 2013 @ 1:40pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
Pretty sure states have been playing against each other for a hell of a lot longer, on a multitude of sports, think Sheffield shield has been played longer, the fact remains that RL SOO was inspired by a QRL director at the time who started Australian RL SOO because of witnessing VIC play WA in AF SOO.
Ron McAuliffe I think
February 14th 2013 @ 1:54pm
Boomshanka said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
Agreed that states have been playing one another with even Australian rugby league back in 1908 had NSW v QLD, but the concept of players playing for their region of birth in football was unique to the War of the Roses at the time.
Even the Yorkshire Cricket club used to have a rule (1968 – 1992) that all representative players must be born in that county. ie the “concept” of “state of origin” was hardly new when it was seemingly invented in 1977 by Aussie Rules.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:04pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
My point was that even though SOO was a tried and true concept going back a long ways, the current RL SOO is based on what Ron Macauliffe saw between Vic and WA, and wanted to copy that for RL.
Like Australian football with WA, SA and Tassie along with NSW and QLD, the best players were going to Melbourne, RL it was pretty much the same with QLD best ending up in Sydney.
Local parochialism made SOO work ( beat the big guy) ATM in AF, it is outdated, and i imagine if Brisbane ever gets another NRL team, the same will probably apply to RL.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:26pm
Michael said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
Didn’t realise Lancashire and Yorkshire were states in Australia. War of the Roses has nothing to do with this thread. Typical RL fans comparing apples with grapes.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:00pm
Timmuh said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
Australian Football intercolonial games were played before rugby league was born. Victoria beat South Australia on 1 July, 1879. NSW played Queensland in 1884.
They weren’t origin though, but representative teams of the major leagues, so the war of the roses might (which, not being a leaguie I’d never heard of before) win that.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:30pm
Buffy said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:30pm | Report comment
So!!!! Back in Caveman times the Neanderthal’s beat the Homo sapiens in game of SOO Rockball before AFL was invented!!! So there!!!
Who cares!
SOO is a great game, people love it in RL. It adds some much to the great game and people who say different are just jealous of the great success its had.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:33pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
Think your way off the mark mate, the Homo Sapiens beat the Neanderthals pretty convincingly. !!
Typical RL fan …. never gets his facts right.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:46pm
Buffy said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
That was in game 3.
In game 1 the Neanderthal’s won 3 rock goal to one.
Typical AFL fan …. Thinks AFL and Melbourne is the centre of the world. Not
February 14th 2013 @ 3:05pm
Brewski said | February 14th 2013 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
From WA and born in NSW, but i do like Melbourne, however i like Sydney as well …….. and i saw the doco, homo sapiens completely dominated the Neanderthals, in fact so much was the domination, the Nenderthal club was put in permanent recess. !!
February 15th 2013 @ 9:13am
TC said | February 15th 2013 @ 9:13am | Report comment
I suspect Homo Sapiens had an unfair advantage in that tussle.
But while it lasted, it was a hell of a match up.
The ACC should investigate.
February 15th 2013 @ 1:54pm
Brewski said | February 15th 2013 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
Very interesting ‘link’ between Neanderthals, the Basque language and the Basque themselves, through their blood group.
But anyways……..
February 14th 2013 @ 3:05pm
Redb said | February 14th 2013 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
I think who cares is a bit rough but oh well…
February 14th 2013 @ 3:47pm
Australian Rules said | February 14th 2013 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
Boomshanka, your post on the origins of Origins is not just pointless, it’s blatantly wrong.
Come on, man up and admit you made a boo boo.
February 15th 2013 @ 9:19am
Boomshanka said | February 15th 2013 @ 9:19am | Report comment
AR
It’s the following comment that’s so blatantly incorrect;
“We actually invented it in Aussie rules in the 1970s.”
If I put my Victorian rose coloured glasses on, live the dream and ignore all other winter football codes then maybe even I could actually believe that Australian Football has contributed so much to the fabric of sport, by inventing “origin” representative contests, that the code is growing all around the world, kids in New Zealand are taking to the sport in large numbers and that drugs and organised crime in sport will never afflict this the most wholesome of games.
As Winston Smith found out (after so much doubt) in the final paragraph of 1984…….
“He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.”
February 15th 2013 @ 11:42am
Brewski said | February 15th 2013 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Sorry wrong spot.
February 15th 2013 @ 12:54pm
Australian Rules said | February 15th 2013 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
Nice quote.
But you’re still wrong.
First, you referenced a game in England where two counties competed in a league match in 1895. In Australia, there were SA v Vic games in 1879 so yours is an incorrect rebuttal in any event.
Second, in terms of an organised, yearly event in Australia that was actually called “State of Origin”, the first one was WA-v-Vic in 1977. RL followed suit 3 years later. Again, in this context, “Origin” was an Australian Football invention.
Third, as blindly Orwellian as you may think Aussie Football fans are (and we do love our history I’ll admit) – facts are facts.
Your logic in reading a post which you claimed was “blatantly incorrect”, is to respond with a post of your own which is…blatantly incorrect.
I won’t expect an admission from you…but another nice citation would be nice.
February 15th 2013 @ 3:09pm
Boomshanka said | February 15th 2013 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
Player eligibility for the War of the Roses competition was always based on the player’s region of birth or if born outside of those two counties then eligibility was based on the region where they first played rugby league at professional level. This is unique as the representative game between VIC and SA (I’ll accept this was earlier) would have been based on where the person resided as has been common practice in Australia until very recent times.
One might say that Mr Whitten “invented” the concept for the local code, but it was hardly “new” or “novel” even in 1977.
I’ll accept that the QRL looked enviously at the VFL origin series and that my friend is why the Rugby League State of Origin took off. It needed years of being flogged by the NSW boys (using their own Queenslanders) to build up the resentment that fuels the beast. Understanding that gives a clear reason why it is so popular.
I personally do not believe that SOO is the pinnacle of the game – that is the preserve of the local TV Network who can’t lose (despite who wins). Despite hoarding the game for many years, it remains a consistent ratings puller three times a year only matched by the NRL and AFL grand finals.
BTW: The two counties (circa traditional boundaries) under consideration here have a population greater than modern day NSW or QLD and the comparison is a fair one.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:16pm
Spanks for nothing said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
This is an easy one.. Alls star game to be played on the eve of the Grand Final (the Friday night) at Etihad.. Available players nominates themselves.. Two captains, i.e. Jonathan Brown & Chris Judd, select their best 22, maybe even a school yard selection televised live.
- It will add to the huge Grand final festivities.
- All players will be out of season, yet still physically fit.
- An NBA All star type of vibe
- half time longest shot for goal comp, etc, etc..
It’ll be fun and spectacular and won’t take away from the season or the GF.. If anything it will add to it!!
February 14th 2013 @ 1:52pm
Timmuh said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
Two teams that have no base is supposed to be a “showpiece” game? No thanks.
Origin, with real states, or nothing for mine – unless someone can come up with a meaningful game. And Origin isn’t a realistic prospect.
February 16th 2013 @ 6:31am
GoGWS said | February 16th 2013 @ 6:31am | Report comment
I had a similar idea…but I’d make it a curtain-raiser game to the GF and make it Vic v WA and Vic v SA alternately…the incentives for players would be to represent your state, and to get to play with the best of the best in front of a packed MCG…and some players will never get to play on the G on GF day in their whole careers because of where they are on the ladder (e.g. Western Bulldogs currently) at least having a SOO on GF day would give them that chance…and it’d make for a good lead in…
February 14th 2013 @ 1:42pm
Toby said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
The AFL doesn’t need this. It already has one the biggest attendances in the world, it’s the biggest sport in Australia by far.
Also, in regards to the NFL, there is talk at the moment whether to keep their all-star game, the Pro Bowl, because no one takes it seriously, even the players don’t take it seriously.
February 14th 2013 @ 2:40pm
bilo said | February 14th 2013 @ 2:40pm | Report comment
Bring back AFL SOO asap.
The AFL kind of killed it in the 90′s with that stupid “Allies” idea. I could understand their thinking back then as some of the games best players weren’t from the traditional big states (WA, SA, VIC), players such as James Hird (ACT), Wayne Carey (NSW), Nathan Buckley (NT), Andrew McLeod (NT), Matthew Richardson (TAS) to name a few.
The problem for the Allies was they were not a State but a collective. No State pride for the players to play for. Therefore no AFL equivalent of the famous “Queenslander” cry from Billy Moore. As such the best players were always “injured” on State football weekends. Wayne Carey would withdraw from the Allies team and then play for North Melbourne the next day.
AFL SOO must come back though. I’d love to see Matthew Pavlich play for his actual home state of SA not dodgy old Freo where he has spent his whole career. Buddy Franklin, I’m sure, would love to play for WA against Adam Goodes’ VIC.
Sadly, we won’t see Origin in AFL anytime soon as most clubs train for months to perfect their particular game-style/plan, forward press type set plays etc. These strategies may not be suited to an assembled squad of diverse players with minimal time to work out and perfect team tactics. It would, however be like the Origins of old – that is just a lot of one on one footy – I’d love that!
February 14th 2013 @ 5:50pm
Mendip said | February 14th 2013 @ 5:50pm | Report comment
Do you want to trade off the national game for half hearted state games – the reason NRL hasnt expanded is because people see NSW v Qld as the RL game. Do you want SA v VIC to be the pinnacle or VIC vrs WA.??? Which is it??
February 24th 2013 @ 1:55am
bryan said | February 24th 2013 @ 1:55am | Report comment
Obviously,Vic -v-WA!!
Back in the day,when there was no AFL,the interstate games were in fact, a contest between the
various state footy leagues —–WANFL -v-SANFL-v- VFL.
We were OK against the South Aussies,but the Vics always had enough dough to seduce away the best players from both of the other leagues,& would usually stomp all over us.
We still used to have 50,000+crowds at Subi for interstate games,before the later stands reduced its capacity.
The first few SOO games gave us a real chance,& we won more often.
The advent of the AFL removed most of the WA-v-Vic vibe,& people lost interest..
The WAFL has now effectively deteriorated to an AFL “seconds” competition,& SOO using AFL clubs would basically be a reshuffling of an already familiar deck,which,in my opinion wouldn’t create that much interest.
February 14th 2013 @ 3:36pm
Wotsit said | February 14th 2013 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
This sounds great on paper. The question i would be asking is when, between which teams or states and where.
The league Origin has been built up over time and even today has their detractors.
If you look at our codes winter season’s, you know that they start in March and end in September. So Oct, Nov, Dec *xmas* n.y*, Jan and Feb, let us say 5 months off-season.
The players need at least a month for holidays, and Xmas n.y newyear is off limits, so their goes about 6 weeks.
If you are going to start training to get fit, that is about 1 to 2 months,. Now your looking at 1 to 2 months for a state comp or as you have now NAB cup.
The NAB cup has to go, and what you want to replace this with is a State comp.
“”"Origin wont work”"”, it is long gone now because AFL is a national comp.
The only other game will be a one off All-stars game, again this will be only 1 game because of player and club welfare.
I have looked at this over time and can not see any avenue for a serious fixture, apart from exhibition games. Even in rugby league the calender is full. Player welfare is at stretching point now.
To hold a serious comp before the season would require players at peak fitness well before the season starts. I think any idea of holding games or comp’s outside a season is now fraught with risk.
The only reason rugby league gets away with it is because it has turned into a huge cashcow, and in the middle of a season, apart from that it would be scrapped.
If they tried to do something similar today, fans would probably riot and want it scrapped if injuires accured.
What we have now is pretty well the calender for all codes. Soccer is on the rise, Rugby is trying to squeeze more into a packed NRL and AFL calender, and off season is at a point where not much else has room to grow any more.
I would even go as far to say the NRL all-stars is on unsettled ground. Competition against a NZ nines comp has now threatened this game.
And that is the nature of pre-season comps. Trial games are also necessary for the AFL and nrl for that matter. Players dont magically be 100% without a few trails.
February 14th 2013 @ 4:13pm
Mendip said | February 14th 2013 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
You can never match the hype of the NRL – would the AFL let their top players play 3 games midweek. The NRL comp does take a backward step during NRL SOO (crowds are lower etc) but I cant remember uproar if a key player was injured long term in SOO and this impacted the club but it must have happened. However International caps are on the line although the big Kangaroo game against NZ occurs in April before SOO and the end of season international comp is 4-5 months away. No matter what shonky marketing ploys (rearranging the order ogf games to suit the underdog, changing the 2-1 scenario to again favour the underdog, eligibilty frauds like ACT players playing for NSW and Toni Carroll playing for Qld, then NZ then Qld again) the ARL plays, still the fans (who are blind to this bias) flock to it because it is violent, high standard and midweek in winter when people are home.
The other upside for the NRL is that the top clubs with top players are missing come back to the field and the lesser clubs have a big chance of winning. This is especially true for the Brisabne Broncos but the Storm is as well so it gives the NRL competition a greater impression of eveness..
The AFL cant hope to replicate this but as a RL supporter I treat it as an exhibition game like WWE because of all the shonky marketing.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:36pm
TC said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:36pm | Report comment
One has to conclude that league fan culture is so much different to Australian Football culture.
Even going back to the days when SOO was quite popular (right through the 1980s), fans were never forgiving of their star players getting injured in a game that is just not as important as the premiership, nowhere near it in fact. Once players starting pulling out because of “general soreness”, the gig was up.
Let’s not forget that the King, Wally Lewis, has always said he treasures his SOO victories more than grand final wins – can anyone imagine an AFL footballer saying that? Not in a million years.
Different cultures.
February 14th 2013 @ 4:52pm
Timmuh said | February 14th 2013 @ 4:52pm | Report comment
If Australian Football was to return Origin, it would have to be post-season replacing the International Rules games. The maximum number of matches a player may play would then not change.