Presenting an AFL State Of Origin blueprint

Bring it back I say yo! It would be awesome ese!

Congradulations on a excellent thought out article Footy will never really thrive while its been run by the Vfl Every one knows the interstate sides are only in there to prop up the competition . My thoughts are similar to yours except for the Rest of the world team and as from next year there will be 18 teams anyway. My view is there could be 2 groups of 9 . They could play everyone twice home and away and the top 4 teams from each group would play off in the finals like they are now but there would need to be a game each week in Adelaide, Perth , Sydney and Brisbane and the interstate teams in each state would be in separate groups

I'd rather not see SOO again, but I wouldn't mind seeing an occasional exhibition game between two teams drawing on the best talent of the league just as a showcase of the sport. That would be an awesome game to a higher standard than state football. Split the league teams down the middle or something.

I think it would be 4 before the finals plus 2 finals and then the G.F. Back to the drawing board.

No SOO EVER again. It is a poor concept designed for an era before the national competition. It is irrelevent in the modern AFL. Before the Eagles and Bears came into the comp in 1987 there was a point to it because as a Victorian fan it gave an opportunity to play our best against their best and sometimes they would uncover some gems before they made it to the VFL to give it an interesting edge. Remember seeing Kernahan kick 10 against the Vics at Footy Park before the Blues contracted him. Today you see state teams play week in week out, there is no need for it. You are only risking your best talent for an exhibition contest. Listen to Dermot Brerton talk about the topic. He said the first time is a huge honour, then after that you just try not to get injured for a 'friendly game' which is all that it is.

I've got a completely different idea of how to do it. My concept could slot quite easily into the current format, so there'd be no reason to shorten the season.. Basically you have one SoO game at the start of each season, alternating b/ween Vics v SA and Vics v WA. Possibly expanding to a series of two games, the first in Victoria, the 2nd in Adelaide or Perth. (depending on popularity) Essentially the SoO will be played a week after the NAB cup and a week (or two) before the AFL season. In this scenario the representative players would train with their other rep players alongside their regular AFL-club sessions for a couple of weeks, and would be in good shape for the big clash without disrupting their preperations for the AFL season. Also in the NAB cup teams will often choose to play their youngsters instead of their senior players, so having players in the rep sides wouldn't influence their preperations, and the rep players could choose to play in the NAB cup/challenge matches as well.. Also, if any injuries occurred, it's much better at the start of the season than in the middle or leading towards the finals.

The likes of Tassie, Qld or NT could cause an upset, but is much more likely to lose by 70 points every time they play the top 3 states. And ACT v Vic. I'm pretty sure the score there will be 30.12.196 to 0.1.1.

Don't see this one going anywhere. Would TV companies be paying a billion $ for that package?

I do reckon that had the Allies ever managed to get on the track at the one time Carey, Hird, Voss, Dunstall, Richardson etc - then, the concept just might have grown legs. Alas, it never quite got going.

I am interested in a 9's concept, played in rectangular grounds, 3 forwards, 3 midfielders, 3 backs, each in a third of the field. A bit in the mould of rugby sevens, Australian football 9's is played quite a lot O/S, but the rules vary from country to country. A AFL pre season 9's IMO would be very interesting.

Another way out idea posted by a English Premier League supporter - Yeah right -Credibilty zero. There is only a limited budget available for our code - The AFL is not the EPL. We are in Australia right.

Republican, can you remind me, why did the Allies fail? Was it because people in the combined states couldn't care less? A top tier with the big 3, and second division with the other four (ACT and internationals couldn't field teams) could work on a competitive basis. It won't work on a television basis though, as Vics will not watch any game where Victoria is not involved - even WA v SA and Victoria makes up half the potential viewers of Australian Football.

For a state team to compete in the SOO Grand Final, am I correct that it would require them to play 6 or 7 games? If that is so and considering clubs would also have to see their best players playing rep footy pre-season, then this concept has got a snowflakes chance in hell of being remotely considered. Plus, if these games are played on weekends does the season proper continue or pause for it? One reason AFL SOO struggles for support is that clubs put winning a Premiership before ALL else. There is absolutely no way clubs will allow Dane Swan, Gary Ablett, J. Brown, Chris Judd etc, play in a rep format that would require them to be away from the club so much. I can see you have given it considerable thought and maybe one day there might be room for SOO in AFL, but not this format.

i can't believe you stole my idea EvertonAndAustralia! That last comment about the states competing in a world cup with other countries was my exact idea, in fact i was going to write an article about it for the roar.