In less than two weeks the traditional start summer kicks off with that familiar first session at the Gabba.
The intro theme for Channel Nine’s cricket coverage sticks in one’s head, the evening meal becomes regularly later in the day than previously in the year, and typically always outdoors as well.
We’ve just come through another Spring Racing carnival, the A-League has real traction in our sporting fix and it won’t be long before we start to become expert again on the journey by boat from Sydney to Hobart.
Our summer is based on sport, and our summer of sport is based on routine, ritual and repetition. The Boxing Day Test is always on Boxing Day, the Big Bash is crammed in and around the new years period and the Australian summer of golf sits just wonderfully before Christmas.
Yet, strangely, one of the biggest crowds for the summer of sport will be an audience of almost 40,000 on a balmy evening in Perth. Even by an Ashes standards that’s essentially as good a crowd you’ll see for summer.
And what makes this achievement more remarkable was that the event was not one itched into the fabric such as the aforementioned sporting pillars of our holiday season, but for a hybrid game played by the best of the best from the AFL, a winter sport.
Despite falling squarely at the end of their holidays, more so the very infancy of the pre-season, two dozen of the premier footballers in the land voluntarily put their hand up to revive a much maligned concept to represent their country in a contest fabricated to allow such a thing: representation.
To see Luke Hodge, Joel Selwood, Jobe Watson, Nick Riewoldt, just to name a few, grasp the opportunity with enthusiasm and zeal to take a week out of their usual professional commitments to link up and take on the Irish reinforces that underlying representative desire that the greater player body possesses.
Being a domestic and indigenous game, it’s a truly unique circumstance that this code of football – in this highly commercial successful period – offers no further product other than its existing club competition. Yet, such is the want, we as Aussies persist with attracting our Irish friends to meet halfway logistically in a game that combines elements of two greatly opposing formats.
Yes, the games do have similarities but let us call a spade a spade, our ball is oval and their ball is round. We tackle, bump and shepherd, they do not.
Their players are accountants, foremen and bartenders. Ours are professional footballers, and well paid at that.
So what does this all mean and what is the learning.
Saturday night’s game showed us, the key stakeholders in this domestic and indigenous game we are ever so fond of, that we do hold a real yearning and enthusiasm to see the elite of the sport play with their fellow elite. It shows us that a proper channel for representative football can exist, and quite successfully also.
But is it the international rules concept? One fears that it feels like the proverbial well – we keep going back to it. Its not going to satisfy us permanently, there are good reasons the series finds itself at the mercy of requiring ‘reviving’ periodically.
However a bumper crowd in late November when we’ve all by now forgotten just how good Hawthorn was against Sydney two months ago is beyond encouraging. There is a whole summer of cricket before the footy fan really seriously considers their team’s 2015 prospects, yet anyone who caught a glimpse of Australia’s win and saw the league’s crème de la crème linking together could not help but be engaged and get emotionally involved.
In this modern age the reference point of truth, with reluctance, is found on social media. In this instance social media got it spot on.
The overwhelming reaction to the success of the weekend’s fixture wasn’t so much a revival of the contrived contest between two nations competing against each other in a game neither nation plays, but that the interest and public appeal of seeing the best of the best indicated that State of Origin has a pulse and it must be given every chance to come back to life.
Whether the weekend indeed spawns a new dawn of successful international rules series being played year after year or not, no-one in ten years’ time when asked could tell you the guernsey the Australians wore back in 2014 when they defeated the Irish in Perth.
They may recall it had probably green and gold, perhaps some navy blue, but that’s your lot.
Yet you ask any passionate football fan from any of the southern states what their heroes wore back when State of Origin was in its heyday and you can bet your bottom dollar they all have the image imprinted into their minds eye.
One could argue there is no more iconic visual than a navy blue jumper with a large white ‘V’ on the front. Albeit if you gather from the western seaboard you may offer that it’s a gold jumper with a black swan.
South Australians would argue it’s the iconic red, blue and gold, a combination that evokes such passion from such a proud football state.
Conceding that Australian rules football transcends further parts of the country than the three states just mentioned, those three are the lifeblood for the competition, most importantly from a talent and revenue angle.
If one can just focus on Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and consider what State of Origin would look like in the modern era.
The ability to have Gary Ablett receive a handpass from Joel Selwood who hits a leading Jarryd Roughead lace out. To witness Bryce Gibbs kick long and CHad Wingard take a screamer over Matt Pavlich, his captain. Or even Nic Naitanui tapping the ball down to Nat Fyfe who immediately looks for Lance Franklin.
Whether late November or pre-season, an ‘off-season’ representative game has buy in and the league will see Saturday’s crowd and TV ratings as not just a success but a commercial fascination, an opportunity to grow. That growth comes with State of Origin.
South Australia hosting Victoria at the new Adelaide Oval would be too good to be true, such to have not pursued the idea yet would be bordering on being classified as administrative dysfunction. Western Australia opening its brand-new, Adelaide Oval-rivaling stadium in 2018 with a State game is a no-brainer.
If you could sell out Pattersons Stadium for an international rules game in November, just how many spare seats would you get if Victoria returned in a legitimate State game (discounting the exhibition Hall of Fame match in 2008 as just that, an exhibition) at the grand old girl, the MCG? Not many you’d suggest, not many at all.
One-off games each year is the answer: Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia playing each other twice, home and away, over a six-year cycle.
While playing Victoria is the obvious drawcard, games between South Australian and Western Australia would be of such a high quality I’d challenge the passionate fans of those states to turn up their noses and refuse to attend because the Big V won’t be in opposition.
To go to the Adelaide Oval and see your Croweaters take on the Sandgropers with both teams littered with All-Australians, premiership players and best and fairests, where’s the deterrence in that?
The league is keen to further grow the game and to this point there is success in the northern states with new clubs, franchise players emerging from rugby league heartland and a truly national competition in place, the envy of other codes.
But much like the NRL State of Origin markets their code to non-rugby league states like nothing else, would not a Western Australia versus Victoria State game in primetime promote the code to those northern states more so than seeing the Gold Coast playing finals next year?
City Hall proclaims it needs to greater its focus on listening to its fan-base in order to rebound from a mixed year in 2014. This message from the fans is loud and clear. So exciting and wonderful was the Test match on Saturday the fans want it to be the last international rules game staged.
They want it immediately replaced by something different, something familiar, something better.
While they enjoyed the game immensely, they saw beyond its worth and yearned for the return of an old friend.
Bring back the Big V. Bring back the Croweaters. Bring back the Sandgropers.
Bring back State of Origin.
Storm Boy
Guest
SOO was our gift to rugby league? What? League had yearly interstate games in place long before 1981. Plus soccer and cricket were already picking teams based on things other than residency. WAFL invented the phrase State of Origin.
chibimatty
Roar Rookie
Depends on who's fans are calling for it the most really. If Victorians aren't really showing too much interest and the loudest calls for the return of State-of-Origin are coming from WA and SA, then why don't we play each other? If there is a lack of interest by fans towards supporting their State at the highest level the game has, then we can put the concept to bed. I for one, would support the full-strength WA State-of-Origin team if they played Timbuktu, let alone a full-strength Crow-Eaters outfit!
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Not sure who would win that one. I'd have to see the respective lists.
BigAl
Guest
Well ! . . . how about an SOO playiing International rulles ???
joe b
Guest
if the AFL abandon IR, then they might look at SoO. But they would have to use it sparingly, clubs won't allow it to occur regularly,...and you can't have Allies type teams.
fiver
Guest
"It would be successful in its own right but would never dominate and diminish club football the way the NRL’s version has been allowed to do." I would argue South Sydney GF win trumped everything this year in all codes including NSW first SOO win in 9 years.
joe b
Guest
GG, Soccer and basketball are no better examples of state rivalry than AFL, in that they have the same club/franchise competition with players from anywhere. Cricket, also has players from different places...not sure if there is a quota on this. AFL, and most significantly, the media/broadcasters, promotes state rivalry with the use of it's clubs. If you focus on the business aspect of AFL, you will understand why it won't happen: Players contracted to their clubs SoO dilutes value of regular season & GF Risk to player welfare/overworked Club fans not happy SoO competes with IR, can't have both It won't happen, not with the cream of the crop... unless it is a mickey mouse Vics v Allies every 4 years, no way do I want my players in either of those teams.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Just FYI, I haven’t paid any attention to the argument you’re advancing – “the players want it” I don’t care. The players are paid by their clubs, to play for their clubs, in front of the club’s paying members and fans. They are employees. Immensely talented, gifted, admirable employees – but employees nonetheless. Of course the players are going to want another chance to strut their stuff in front of the masses, it’s what they live for. Saying that SOO is necessary as a kind of therapy for those players who won’t make a grand final isn’t a compelling reason to introduce it IMO. That's just turkeys voting for christmas.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Joe I'm not sure any of the reasons on your list explain why SOO won't return. When asked about SOO the AFL has said that the interest from fans fell away and is currently not there. This is only partially true. Interest did fall away but this fall in support was also accompanied by very poor scheduling and adding menaingless combined teams. And yes the Eagles and Crows entry to the AFL had an impact on SOO but it's become a truism that these teams somehow became defacto state teams playing every weekend - trying selling that linenow to a Dockers or Port supporter. Other sports tap currently into state based rilvary (RL, soccer, cricket, basketball) but for some reason the 'club culture' (Victorian club culture) in the AFL apparently trumps everything. Maybe. Outiside of Victoria state based rilvary is alive and well, and a return of SOO games hosted in WA and SA is something the AFL should re-think.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Milo - with repsect, plucking one injury example doesn't make the case for throwing out SOO. So what. Injuries occur all the time during the season - all the time. What about we stop all regualr season games to prevent injuries. And as for the player's attitudes - whenever the players are asked they do support the return of SOO. Again, most players will move straight into their off season. And the few who would play an end of season SOO are hardly going to be shattered by a couple of games of football. Are the players who just played i the IR game somehow shattered and runined for season 2015. Please. The AFL I think suffers from a lack o imagination and it is also too beholden to Vic-based clubs who on the whole woudl oppose a return of SOO football. Also perhaps the AFL is worried about unflattering comparisons with the NRL version? If it is worried about the NRL SOO it needn't be - an AFL version of SOO involving a post season carnival in the 1979 format (4 states) is a different animal. It would be successful in its own right but would never dominate and diminish club football the way the NRL's version has been allowed to do.
Milo
Guest
You know what GG? After 10-11 long months of AFL (from Nov-Sep) most players are ready (hanging out) for some time off. Pushing the season out longer isnt something theyre looking for. When SOO was a regular occurrence as time went on, attitudes changed and a lot of players did NOT want to play. They realised that their club was #1 and injuries playing for SOO were not something they could afford. Remember Tony Hall being tackled by his Hawthorn teammate Andy Collins in the 89 SOO V vs SA? That knee cost him back to back flags and he was never the same player. Following footy for 45 years and I follow a club that doesnt play finals very often. I have no desire whatsoever to see some of those players from my club play SOO at season's end. Id rather they take the time off and come back fresh for a big preseason rathr than waste a week or two of their valuable offseason time. Nup, the reward for the best players in the AFL is the All Australian Team. As every year goes by, that becomes the most prestigious team award that players can strive for outside the GF/Premiership. If you really want interstate representative clashes then follow the VFL/SANFL/WAFL. They play an interstate series amongst those leagues each year, but please lets leave AFL SOO dead and buried.
Jz
Guest
it the 100,000 irish living in Wa that gave it credibility that is all
joe b
Guest
This article doesn't seem to address the reasons why SoO won't be resurrected. 1. Followers are already passionate about their club. 2. AFL is a national competition, so the thrill of watching interstate battles occurs multiple times over every round...and a bit of civil war during derby round. 3. NRL regular season suffers because of SoO, it devalues the product. The AFL know this. 4. The AFL view IR as a stand alone product, which they might be able to introduce to new markets. It doesn't compete with AR. 5. Clubs contract players, and they are paid to represent the club and it's members. 6. The GF is the pinnacle of AR. SoO is replaced by clubs...18 clubs from 5 states. Perhaps you should look at the winner of each state league playing each other.
alicesprings
Guest
Good point.. Well we could always get the ACT to field a side? Would be primarily NEAFL players which the NT would also have a few of! That way you could have Div1: VIC, WA, SA, NSW with Div2: QLD, TAS, NT, ACT.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Col the arrogance of Vics is the very reason SOO was born. If it wasn't for Victorian arrogance there'd have been no need for WA to prove a point, no need to stage WA v Vic games in the late 1970s under SOO rules. And it follows that there would have been no SOO RL games, not as early as 1980 at any rate (maybe it would have arrived on its own at some point). So I guess Australian sport thanks the Vics for their arrogance - out of that came the whole concept of SOO.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Fair enough Slane.... but you also must concede that the team you follow is full of players who DO care about SOO and want to play it if they were given a chance, and also you'd have to conceded that many fans woudl like to see it. And you'd also have to concede that for most players (about 80-90%) they're never going to get to a GF. Providing SOO does gives the best of the best something realistic to aim for when goals like GFs may be realtistically beyond them. Players from some of the bottom clubs are never going to get near an AFL GF in their careers. I think the AFL can do better. It can look beyond club football to providing a fun an exciting end to the season with SOO. It would have minimal impact on club football and it'd give players a fans a new and exciting experience, especially fans from long suffering clubs who don't play finals.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
The 1979 model - WA, SA, VIC and Challanger State/Territory - excludes nobody. Any player from anywhere in the country could thoeretcially play and win the SOO carnival. The Challanger State (NSW/QLD/ACT/NT/Tassie) could come from lead-up games. It is true that the three main states go automatically into the semi finals but that is just facing the reality of the situation - to even make the semis would be a huge win for any Challanger state. And over time you could change the formula if NSW or QLD became dominant. Right from the start the AFL could run with a format that in principle gives all players in the country a shot at playing SOO, unlike the NRL version which does not give a start to a significant population of players not from NSW or QLD. Right from the start an AFL version would be more inclusive. Much more inclusive.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
And I agree players can get injured but the increase in risk of injury over eight quarters of football is just not worth worrying about. This injury threat is overblown. Players have to put their body on the line the whole season - this extra eight quarters is nothing, and again it gives fans/players from the 16 non-GF teams potentially a little something to cheer about to see their State or a player from their club play SOO.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
That's a bit of cicular reasoning there...people don't like it because it creates division between those who dont like it and those who do? Yes but why are some people so opposed? I get that clubs will have a moan but so what - the players themselves want it and a good slab of fans want it. The clubs can suck it up, and they'd have to suck it up if the player's association ever got organised and pushed this ahead for the greater good of player welfare (again, most of the elite 'best of the best' players will never play in a GF - that's just a fact of life; why not give these elite players SOO as a stage?) I don;t see too many obstacles.. what I do see are too many people who see too many obstacles. And I see an AFL that lacks vision and is 'whipped' by Victorian clubs. No imagination.
Col Quinn
Guest
never