Lets face it, State of Origin football in the AFL is dead. The last time AFL players played the traditional format was in 1999.
Victoria inflicted a massive defeat on South Australia in wet conditions in front of a crowd of just 26,063.
Crowds of over 90,000 flocked to the MCG to see the format decades earlier before expansion clubs eradicated the state versus state rivalry. But the VFL/AFL had a concept which excited the fans.
State of Origin football in rugby league works because the NRL are relentless in marketing it as the biggest show in town.
Arguably the best marketed sports concept of all time is the NBA All-Star Game. The sport’s biggest names including Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and LeBron James have captured the fans hearts with this concept. A rivalry emerged from the old (east) versus new (west) US settlement of States; however it is the assembly of talent which engulfs the viewers.
With the evolution of sports television and the internet, the NBA All-Star Game is the ultimate form of fan fed reality TV, because they get to choose the starting fives.
It should be a “no brainer” for the AFL to put on a game featuring the elitist football talent with the ultimate line-ups the choice of footy fans.
Since the AFL has finished its expansion, a workable concept is heritage clubs versus expansion clubs.
The heritage clubs (1897-1908) include Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy/Brisbane, Geelong, Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and South Melbourne/Sydney.
The expansion clubs (1925-2012) include Adelaide, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Footscray/Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles.
This results in an even nine club split for each team to assemble its players. The midfield groups could potentially comprise Judd, Swan, Watson, Rockliff, J. Selwood, Trengove, Cotchin, Hayes and J. Kennedy (Heritage) versus S. Thompson, Fyfe, Hodge, Ablett, Ward, A. Swallow, Hartlett, Griffen and Priddis (Expansion).
The All-Australian selection committee could choose the squads with all teams represented, and fans can vote for the starting line-ups. The game could be played instead of a pre-season cup grand final (which is only to sustain television ratings before round 1) or in the week before round 1.
The players have already thrown their support behind a game scheduled in this slot, but are cooling down on State of Origin.
There is a window of opportunity for the AFL and its broadcast partners in 2013 to put on the biggest show in town. Perhaps even get the ‘baby boomers’ behind team Heritage and ‘generation Y’ behind team Expansion.
This is the best option for the AFL in terms of representative football.
Redb
Roar Guru
A really unique option. So was Big V Dreamteam in 2008, us Vics loved becuase it was the Big V, but the Dreamteam had trouble finding traction with fans in other states. This is the perfect formula and would create the most equal game. Maybe it should be tried again?
Sh00ter
Guest
Have another look Paul, Swany is there. In another write up I said back him early for the Brownlow at $13! More importantly what do you think of the concept?
Paul
Guest
Hmmmmmm.... A "Heritage" midfield which DOES NOT include Dane Swan, or Scott Pendlebury, or Dale Thomas. Or, in fact, any member of the Collingwood midfield, easily one of the top three or four midfields in the league. Your prejudice is showing.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
This is just another idea to play an extra game that is not needed, that won't get any support and which can't be squeezed into the current schedule even if there was support.
Michael/Brisbane
Guest
This is the best idea I have heard yet.
Cameron
Guest
We are coming up with all sorts of ideas for rep footy and this is no exception, but there are always negatives - risk of player injury, timing, debates over fan interest. Despite these things. I think the AFL may be forced to play some kind of rep footy for the sake of negotiations for future TV deals. It is not forseeable that it has anywhere else to grow with club footy in terms of expansion teams and it already has all 9 games on fox live. So rep footy in some form may be necessary for increased revenue and subsequently better TV deals into the future.