Although it’ll be a challenge, the AFL says it will speak with players over their push to revive State of Origin.
An AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) straw poll indicated an interest in reigniting representative football, whether it be the traditional State of Origin or two teams made up of the league’s best.
“It’s great the players have an appetite for it,” AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said.
“Now there’s a challenge to sit down with them and find a way it could work.”
Carlton midfielder Marc Murphy was enthusiastic about the prospect.
“It’d definitely be great to represent your state,” Murphy said on Thursday.
“It all depends on when you can play – what suits best for the players. It’d be a great thing to come back into football.”
But former North Melbourne great Wayne Carey, a New South Welshman, said the best players from the minor states miss out under the traditional State of Origin format of Victoria playing Western Australia or South Australia.
“If you’re from NSW or Queensland, you miss out on the big game,” he told Network Ten news.
“I’d like to see it, but not sure what format.”
AFLPA president Luke Ball told the Herald-Sun newspaper the poll suggested a strong interest in reviving the format.
But Ball said there were many factors to consider, including whether to play the match pre-season, mid-year. end of season or as an alternative to a NAB Cup round.
If not the classic State of Origin format, Ball suggested a match following the US basketball system of East against West or an “old schoolyard selection process where you have two captains and they toss a coin to see who gets first pick”.
State of Origin was last played in 1999 when Victoria defeated South Australia by 54 points.
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The aim of the system should be to strike a balance between ensuring accurate decision-making and preserving the natural rhythm of the game.
