It's time to bring back AFL State of Origin

I think that it will fail if we just try and copy some other codes concept, dont make it every year, make it once every three years with selection for all australian to be based on if you play. Play it one month after end of GF and have all six sides vic, sa, wa, tas, qld/nt and nsw/act. Every side plays every side once. 1st plays winner of 2nd and 3rd in SOO final. Give compensation picks in pre-season draft for any injuries with the afl to pick up the rehab and pay of that player with a 12 month reduction in sal cap (representing that players wage) and then 50 per cent reduction for next 12 months for any player recruited as compensation for that player. You will then get the clubs on side , the players will want to do it because it doesnt come round often, we have boutique stadiums to play them in eg metricon 1 game qld, 1 game skoda, 1 game wagga wagga, 1 game Darwin 3 games at aami, 3 petersons, 3 at edihad 1 hobat 1 launceston. Like i said, make it appeal in a time there is no afl home and away for fans to get nervous about and no competition either.

Ian I thought you were opposed to the SOO idea yet you are more than comfortable with promotion of the globalising of the Australian code. We humans all most without exception, will miss what we have once it's gone. My sentiments may well be at odds with yours and yes we do indeed hear what we want to hear and dis regard the rest including yourself Ian. My perceived ad hominem views should not and won't render me silent, despite your often arrogant and yes, prejudice quips.

Republican, I'd argue against your most recent point, except when I hack through your ad hominem arguments, there is nothing else there.

Ian and we, whoever these faceless ones are - Thats because you have something other than blood flowing through your banker veins no doubt. You may well see the light - when it's all rather too late sadly.

Oh we hear you. We just think basing arguments on "folk and blood" rather than the good of the game is a really, really stupid idea.

Lachlan I oppose internationalising our code for reasons expressed time and again on Roar. This sentiment seems to fall of deaf ears in the main despite the fact that there are many who have no voice here that agree with me. In a nut shell you stand to compromise the very essence of our games domestic tradition in what is essentially a very successful football league. You will dumb it down by diluting those historic rivalries, pitting the game against other established international or sudo international codes, especially in respect of any saturated and done to death Trans Tasman product. I say develop the code further domestically as there is still heaps of potential to do so and try to simply desist from obsessively tinkering with every facet of the game. I have little doubt that this will ensure 'AUSTRALIAN FOOTY', maintains it's distinctive appeal, to sustain and endure where others won't.

Also i reckon by 2014 when the internationalcup comes around we should be entering a Under 18's australian team and 3 - 4 years after that All-Australian team will be versing the world and see how that happens. On an international point of view we should be playing upto 5 or so international games between two AFL teams a year toincrease the awareness of the game (Europe, China, Middle-East, South Africa, New Zealand, etc. etc.)

Or perhaps keep everything the same but only 3 divisions (1, 2, 3) Start with Vic vs. WA, SA, vs. Tas and Qld/NT vs. NSW/ACT???????

NZ would dearly love to gate crash the League SOO. This would introduce a very interesting dynamic and a real conflict in respect of where do state demarcation lines get drawn. It would certainly compromise a great historic League rivalry as well as blur the lines between the SOO and International fixtures v NZ. Of course NZ are always very keen to be seen as a 'claytons' type state of Australia - when it benefits them and we continue to allow them their pav and eat it too in this respect.

Mate, my comment wasn't a shutdown, it was an opinion in itself. The topic seems to get raised with disproportionate frequency and, secondarily, I haven't observed any interest to warrant that.

Interesting article and interesting comments... One thing to bear in mind. In the NRL the State of Origin is considered the pinnacle of the game - unfortunately this means some players will NEVER participate in these games because they don't qualify from NSW or QLD.... or.... because they are eligible to play but choose to represent another country - the rules stating that Origin players have to have nominated to play for Australia. (Stupid rule!) eg; Benju Marshall who Captains the New Zealand team but would have been eligible to play for QLD (he went to school there) in Origin if he made himself available for Australia. Also - the State of Origin series totally WRECKS the club comp for roughly 8 week in the middle of a 26 week season. Basically the club games that are played either are missing players due to Origin commitments or feature players who are injured or otherwise STUFFED from playing origin. The club competition becomes essentially a reserve grade comp - with corresponding drop in crowd numbers and TV ratings during this period. The other consequence of ORIGIN's success is that International Rugby League (ie: the 4 nations or World Cup) is actually seen as LESS important than origin - simply because other countries cannot field teams the quality of the two origin sides.... although NZ is now getting pretty damn close. Anyway - those are some things to consider from a Leaguie who dropped in to offer some advice. :)

Correct, during the early/mid 80s it was a ripping format.

The AFL has labelled the last 5 years from their perspective as a learning phase. The AFL prior to this time frame seemed more embarrassed than anything about calls from certain quarters for more support for international playing/development of the game. A few people though - in at head office saw potential. Former AFL commissioner Colin Carter (of late work with Crawford on the Cricket review, and is now President of GeelongFC) on a personal basis got involved in South AFrica. And game development manager Dave Matthews did his best given it was a low priority in his portfolio. Over the last 2-3 years, we've seen the AFL institute a full time international manager (Tony Woods), introduce 2 international sides in the National U16s championships (Div 2), and more recently sign an MOU with the Fed Govt (DFAT) to help promote the game. (among a fair few other positive steps). The signs are there that the AFL is now taking it seriously, and during the IC back in Aug they put forward some framework of goals for the near future. Probably one of the more important things that might happen soon might be a PNG side in the NEAFL. The AFL has never really spent any significant amount of money on international footy. But, for fans of it, the annoyance is the players seeking to extract every last million to divvy up when even a single million towards international footy would be a big thing!

Actually thats not true, it wasnt really until the mid-late 90s that SOO began to die off, the introduction of SA teams and the second WA team putting paid to that. However the 70s and 80s were full of highly anticpated and eagerly participated and massively attended crowds, a full strenth Big V sold out the MCG against SA several times in the 80s.

This does seem to come up every few months, so I'll repeat what I've said before. I would love Origin back, provided no conglomerate teams are involved. The only time I can see it working though is now, in the post-season. The schedule would be something like: Year 1 : International Rules, Ireland v Australia Year 2 : SoO Preliminary games Year 3 : International Rules, Australia v Ireland Year 4 : SoO Finals and promotion/relegation playoff The clubs will pull players if it is mid-season or pre-season. They will post-season as well, but hopefully not to the same extent and only those who are genuinely injured and went into surgery early. There are no more games than at present, the AFLPA would have nothing to complain about. Origin merely replaces IR every second year. With a trophy only once every four years, there would be a temptation to play and ensure you don't miss what might be your only chance. Players used to be keen early in their career to play for their states, but not so much as time went on. Having games only every second year, and a final only every fourth, might alleviate that somewhat. It also allows the AFL's pet project of IR to continue (I don't mind the game as a spectacle, but its not footy). Getting a workable formula is the hard part. I'd like a two division system, probably with seven teams (all states plus NT) but that is hard to get to work properly.

Dont know, for some reason just lately, the AFL has embraced Australian football O/S, whether they really want to see the game played at a high level O/S, or they just want to pick up athletes to increase the depth of the competition here are 2 different things. According to some reports , and one from World Footy news, who are quite realsitic with their reports, around 60,000 people are playing Australian football outside of this country, that is quite a base to grow on. The USAFL champs have just concluded, this year 4 mens divisions and a womens, the Port Moresby PNG GF is on this weekend, a new Australian football purpose ground has just been opened in China. There is plenty to like about the growth of Australian football around the world. http://www.worldfootynews.com/

-Bring Back State of Origin. 8-teams (Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, and Northern Territory) have a relegation and promotion type competition. 4 Divisions (1, 2, 3, 4) to start off with VIC vs. WA, SA vs. TAS, NSW vs. Qld, NT vs. ACT. Each year the losing teams go down a division and winning teams move-up, unless the team that wins in division 1 or the team who loses in division 4. (It’s simple, yet such a good idea, by someone a while back, not sure who though) Play it after round 11. First week two divisional games are played on a Friday and Saturday night and same for the next week. Then begin round 12. Also should make it that no head AFL coaches can coach any team, only assistant coaches or anyone else. Gives them a chance as well. -Mid-Season Trade Week/s. goes for the duration of State of origin and the two-week break for players who aren’t selected. That’s pretty much it, it gives players who can’t get a game during the first half of the season a chance to play in a team that needs someone else, due to injury or etc.

Cattery Splitting hairs mate. The thin edge of the wedge because you expand to open further possibilities in developing any code ho9wever humble in the beginning. NZ is a sovereign country and NO help or encouragement should be forthcoming in respect of Aust Footy. This will compromise very much the very thing that has been identified here; it will create an even more dramatic watering down of the Clubs compared with any introductiion of a SOO with an un called for international dynamic to our code. To advocate going 'International' at any level is a contradition in terms to my mind, whichever way you piitch it. Cheers

Because the Australian players can be competitive with the round ball, but if you introduce an oval ball, it would be a shellacking of the highest order.