Matthew Lloyd for Victoria attempts to mark in front of Sean Wellman for South Australia during the State of Origin AFL match between Victoria and South Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on May 29, 1999. Slattery Images
A curious story appeared on the Herald Sun website last night, reporting that State of Origin football may see a revival and a mid-season trade window may be introduced – the latter as early as next year – after a meeting of chief executives and the league yesterday.
The two possibilities were confirmed by operations manager Adrian Anderson.
“The CEOs are happy for us to have a closer look at the State of Origin suggestion,” Anderson said. “The mid-season window might make the trade system more flexible.”
Before we get too carried away, there’s one pretty good reason to be sceptical.
If ever there was a time for the AFL – and Adrian Anderson, for that matter – to put out a story to divert the media’s attention, this week would be it.
But if we are to overlook the prevalence of tanking and “cheating” stories during the week and assume the league are genuine, these could be two very interesting developments.
State of Origin footy
The return of State of Origin is long overdue.
We know that Origin died due to national expansion (as players were all of the sudden representing their state week in, week out) and because of the divided loyalties of players (who began putting club ahead of state). But those issues are irrelevant today.
On the first point, times have simply changed. Western Australia and South Australia are no longer represented by one team.
In addition, thanks to the draft, players have become more dispersed around the country and, thanks to more expansion into non-traditional markets, moving away from one’s home state is only going to become more common.
The “national expansion” argument is now meaningless.
On the second point, all that is needed to address the issue of divided loyalty is to learn from the mistakes of the past. It’s fair to say having Origin annually and mid-season is a recipe for disaster – of course players are going to grow tired of the concept under such a set-up.
By holding Origin either pre-season or post-season (like International Rules) – and possibly not every year – it would remain relevant for players.
After all, you don’t have to look far to notice that players are actually quite keen for representative footy. Speaking of the bleak outlook for Origin this year, Scott Pendlebury wrote in his newspaper column: “This is a great shame, because the misconception is that players don’t like it. Or don’t want it. To me, that’s incorrect.”
He’s not the only player to make such comments publicly – see Chris Judd and Nick Maxwell, plus Jonathan Brown, plus Matthew Pavlich.
What the AFL lacks in comparison to the other codes is a true form of representative football. Origin is the answer.
Put simply, it’s time.
Mid-season trade period
The idea of a mid-season trade window is a radical one in AFL circles. You only need to look as far as the fallout of Phil Davis announcing his move to GWS this week to see the industry struggles to get its head around players moving clubs while the season is still in progress.
However, that doesn’t mean the idea does not have some merit. Anderson was keen to spruik the line that fans love the trade period and it generates a lot of interest. Last night he had an ally in Brisbane Lions forward Jonathan Brown.
“Our sport’s too reliant on good draft picks and not having injuries,” Brown told The Footy Show.
The most obvious advantage from a club perspective would be to cover any injuries that pop up during the season. The past two years, for example, Hawthorn would have been able to bring in an extra ruckman to make up for their injuries in this area. This year they might be in the market for a key defender.
Perhaps, though, trades aren’t the answer. Having a second radical change to player movement at the same time as free agency is introduced may be too much too soon.
What might be preferable – and this idea has also been reported as part of yesterday’s discussions – is a mid-season draft, which would allow players from second-tier leagues to be recruited. It’s something I wrote about last year on the back of James Podsiadly and Michael Barlow’s successful transition to the AFL.
That might just be the suitable starting point.
Ultimately, though, it’s a positive thing the AFL are bringing these two topics to the table. Even if it is a ploy to distract us all from all those pesky “integrity” stories.
Nick the second
Guest
So your prepared to start a SOO series on that basis? -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
UK Steve
Guest
Nick, its not only about population. If it was then there would be no point in Australia competing on the world stage in anything. SA have had and will have in the future, periods where a group of champions are all playing at the same time. When that happens they will be very hard to beat.
UK Steve
Guest
The term "match fixing" sounds a lot worse than tanking. Match fixing implies that the result is pre-determined. Teams might rest players or experiment with positions but you could still play better than the opposition. The club management might think that it is preferable in the long run to lose a match but that doesn't mean that the players won't be trying as hard as normal. You often hear of scenarios in World Cups where a team has qualified from their group with a game to play and that they would be better of losing the last game so as to avoid a certain opponent in the next round.
voodoo people
Guest
Big difference between fielding a weak side due to other commitments and deliberately playing players out of position to intentionally lose, in a match where people are gambling on the outcome. Losing on purpose for a gain is match fixing. Fielding a half hearted side to protect injuries, or prepare for a bigger match (which happens in the NRL as well as lots of other codes) is not. Damien is right - unbelievable how match fixing in the AFL has simply dropped off the radar.
Nick the second
Guest
"Imagine" - as in for example or pretend this would happen. Either way SA represents 1/20th of the national population so to have a series involving such a small state is a waste of time and as evidenced going to be a very lopsided affair. But read what you wish. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I'd love to see it back, provided there were no Allies or Dreamteam rubbish, but can't see it happening. Post-season would be the best timing. Have an IR series every second year and Origin games in between. (eg 2011 Ireland in Australia, 2012 SoO Preliminary games, 2013 Australian in Ireland, 2014 SoO Final). The big problem though, is as you say, any game Victoria doesn't play will immediately lose half the potential audience and no network would want it. Fox might want WAvSA, but that's it. Its hard to see it going ahead when nobody in NSW or Qld would care about their state team.
UK Steve
Guest
If the other codes had a draft system then the same thing would occur. In the EPL, teams have been known to put out weakened teams if there is a Cup final coming up or if a relegation candidate has to go to Man Utd. What do you suggest that AFL fans do then?
BigAl
Guest
Walt has a point Nick - you seem to have totally ignored the NATIONAL draft.
Nick the second
Guest
Aww don't be like that Walt, we can still be friends -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Walt
Guest
So the only South Australian players in the AFL are at the Crows or Power? You are leading me to believe that you know nothing. Is that what I should believe?
No to SoO!
Guest
Geez, just when you thought it was dead forever, here we go again. Just wait until your club loses it star player to a pointless injury in these dumb exhibition matches that get tiny gates. The only reason they are being looked at is because the NRL version of the origin we invented is doing okay. That is bound to dip in interest because it is so one sided. Make the regular season longer.
Big Al in Bristol
Guest
New South Welshman, Territorians (of both persuasions) and Tasmanians. That's why it's called representative.
Nick the second
Guest
SOO: imagine a Vic team heavy with Collingwood players coupled with Judd and Ablett vs the best from the Crows and Power, the two teams making up the bottom four. Wow that would be great to watch. And on the Tanking, isn't this match fixing? And shouldnt those apart of this farce be banned from the game? -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
BigAl
Guest
Some truth in this !
Brian
Guest
Sorry SOO died because the sport of AFL does not lend itself to a natural contest. If SOO was bought back Victoria would win year after year to the point of boredom. Whether through zoning or drafts for a competetive AFL game you need two evenly matched teams. I know SA won games back in the 70s-90s but their population was much closer to Victoria back then and the game a lot more unprofessional. WA may be able to compete in the future but as things stand the natural NSW v Qld NRL setup does not exist, Victoria v Rest just does not stir the same passion.
zach
Guest
The article said that the players were behind the push. If that is true then it is great news for the original State of Origin. The thing that killed it in the past was that clubs leaned on players to make themselves unavailable, and it ceased to be a top level event. It may be that AFL players have seen the kudos afforded to their rugby league cousins in selection for SOO and would value it for themselves. If State of Origin were to become the best against the best as a result, it would be brilliant and unstoppable.
Damien
Guest
I simply do not understand the blinkered and blind way that AFL fans follow their sport. The story was put out to take the scent away from the (what is essentially match fixing) that is currently taking place in the AFL and the fans swallow it hook, line and sinker. I am not a great follower of any of the winter codes but I do know that those fans that follow Football and the Rugby codes have no fear in holding the leadership of those sports to account. I can not get my head around the fact that AFL fans do not do the same.
Malibu77
Guest
To me, State of Origin and fixing the unbalanced fixturing go hand in hand. Fix the draw by having each team play the other once (17 rounds) and have SOO on the other weekends so fill the season out to 22 weeks.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
The idea has some merit, especially the natural top 3, with one of the other five battling it out for the 4th spot in the first div. - but - it's too much footy - unless there was some sort of acceptance to set aside a couple of weeks in late October - but you'd think you'd have to drop the series with Ireland to accommodate it. But honestly, who is going to get excited over NSW v NT, or ACT vs Tassie?
BigAl
Guest
I'm not !