Wednesday night saw Queensland and New South Wales battle it out for State of Origin glory.
It’s a format all sports fans love to watch, even if they don’t follow rugby league.
In Queensland and New South Wales, towns and cities are painted in blue or maroon, while even outside of the two states, fans tune in for one of the biggest Australian sporting rivalries.
Over 52,000 people packed Suncorp Stadium for Game One of the three-match series, whilst hundreds of thousands more surrounded their television screens to watch the match unfold.
Despite the fixtures being huge hits every year around Australia, the AFL dumped the State of Origin concept in 1999, and played a one-off exhibition between Victoria and the All Stars to celebrate 150 years of Australian rules football in 2008.
The reasoning behind the cancellation was declining attendance, with the VFL’s ongoing conversion into the national competition being the main issue.
Fast-forward 20 years to 2019, and the AFL is more ready than ever to bring back a State of Origin format to the game.
The bye rounds begin this week, with the 18 teams all missing one of the next three rounds as they get a designated rest. Instead of playing matches for their clubs, players should nominate to play for their state during the byes.
Could we see a return of the Big V? (AFL Photos/GSP)
With eight states and territories represented, the AFL could choose one of two routes to reinstate State of Origin football.
Option one is a competition where the eight states and territories (Queensland, Victoria, NSW, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and ACT) play in an elimination-style competition over the three weeks. Such a competition would look something like this.
Week One
Victoria vs NSW
Queensland vs Tasmania
Western Australia vs ACT
Northern Territory vs South Australia
Week Two
Victoria (winner of game one) vs Queensland (winner of game two)
Western Australia (winner of game three) vs Northern Territory (winner of game four)
Week Three
Victoria (winner of game one) vs Western Australia (winner of game two)
This system would result in a State of Origin champion named every year, and every state would have access to a list of players born in that state who nominate for the exhibition games.
Another potential format would be to have similar sides to the 2008 rehash: Victoria vs the All Stars. This format could be a one-off contest, with a league-wide bye for those who don’t participate in the competition.
This system would be more similar to the NBA All-Star game, where everyone has the weekend off matches and celebrates in the festivities.
While some fans would be upset with the fact there’s only one game of football for the weekend, don’t be discouraged, as the AFL could also schedule the mid-season draft as well as the inevitable mid-season trading period to occur on this weekend.
Not only that, but with major grounds receiving the week off from senior games, the reserve sides can play on surfaces such as the Gabba, SCG, Marvel Stadium, Adelaide Oval, and Optus Stadium.
It’s important to note that these formats would require the players to nominate for State of Origin. This way, those players who wish to take the week off and rest their banged-up bodies can do so, while those who want to represent their state can try and find their way onto a list.
Also, players who were born overseas could opt to represent the state that they play football in. For example, Mason Cox could nominate to represent Victoria, as he plays for Collingwood. It would ensure equal inclusion opportunities for all players.
Now that the AFL is a nation-wide league, State of Origin would allow players to return to their roots and represent their cities, towns, and friends in the ultimate battle of state. It’s a win-win for everyone.
The real question is: why wouldn’t the AFL do it?
Spot on Sir!
Guest
Back in the distant past we had basically separate states with their own pretty good leagues. Vic, SA and WA. It was interesting taking on the other states because there was a lot of players you did not normally see. Then along came the national competition and we have the best playing the best every week. AFL gets great crowds every week, we simply don't need state footy like NRL does because their games are attended so poorly.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
AFL SOO is dead and buried, lets not dig up the corpse.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
Nope
Brendan
Guest
NRL needs it to keep interest in there game .AFL doesn't as club rivalries are enough.Ask any AFL supporter which state eon that's years U18 title and most people don't know or care.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
SA and WA aren't lesser states. In fact pro rata SA and WA are BETTER than Victoria. 18 wins a piece shows no special dominance by Victoria. ---- You can tell a Victorian ......but not very much.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Sorry as a Croweater, albeit in NRL territory, I'd love to see SA players in the state strip. As much as I love Rory Sloane he ain't SA'n. If fact I'd love to see him in a Groper strip playing the Croweaters. Sydney and Brisbane representing Qld and NSW is laughable.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I dunno where your coming from but my figures are based on actual games played 1977 - 1999.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Sorry but SA v Vic were the biggest games. WA think they don’t like Vic. Us Croweaters share a border with them which is an abhorrence. I still haven’t got over Boof playing for Victoria.
Simoc
Guest
We get this nonsense every year. State of origin is not wanted or required in AFL territory. It has been done in the past and pretty much everyone in Oz knows that Adelaide is South Australia, WCE nearly all WA players and then you have Brisbane and Sydney. AFL is light years ahead. League is great viewing and State of Origin is their showpiece. The crowds turn up every week in AFL.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Why don't we have a virtual game based on simulations of the players instead. For instance WA side would have,injuries aside, Rance , McGovern, Hamling as the big backs. Duncan and Sheppard, Yeo and Jetta for rebound. The Hills as well. In the middle Naitanui with Fyfe, Coniglio, O'Maera, Mitchell, Kelly and Cripps. Lobb as backup. The forward line of Kennedy,Darling,Walters,Ryan make some sort of a team
matth
Roar Guru
It must be June
Mama
Guest
SOO works because there 2 states, Qld have a chip on their shoulder for being annually slaughtered by NSW pre SOO with Qld born players, the NRL hype it to death and as Roy masters said in 2012 "Ref x was a low-penalty-count ref whose few blasts of the whistle were often directed at teams threatening to run away with the match. The result was a low-stoppage, high-energy, end-to-end game that was often not decided until the final minutes. X helped make State of Origin a valuable, visual product....." That is a close game is what keeps the neutrals interested till the end (a la the other night with ref help). The majority of AFL fans wouldn't fall for this contrived nonsense. BTW it is allegedly State of Origin but Inglis and Folau born and lived in NSW played for Qld because NSW were dominating at the time and they had to even it up. They have even compromised the game draw to make it even. And currently 2 Canberra born, bred and lived entirely in the ACT play for NSW even though the rules say they are ineligible. For neutrals who don't know the whole thing is a joke.
Matt Forrest
Roar Rookie
The home teams all got given wins in each of the match ups, rather than analysing who would actually win the matches
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
SOO was killed by Vic clubs. SOO only works with two states. VFL clubs stopped their interstate players when SOO games did not involve Victoria, eg SA v WA, WA v Tas or Tas v SA. That can't happen in NRL.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
NT beat SA? You on drugs? Fyi, SA, WA & Vic are all on 18 wins!
Bruz
Roar Rookie
The AFL seem to boast a much better traditional club format for its main headline. AFL crowd figures are an example of this, in which the NRL envy to achieve such extraordinary attendance figures for regular season games.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
WA v Vic were way better. WA v SA were fine. Over all the Vics were no. 1 (population of course) WA no. 2 SA no. Should have bye round 4 two divisions, Victoria, WA, and SA, division one. Qld, NSW, Tas, and NT in division 2 they can top up there teams with state league players. Matthew Pavlich said his only two regrets were not getting a flag or represent his home state.
IAP
Guest
The only state of Origin that matter is the Big V vs the Crow-eaters. Anything else isn't worth playing.
Boris
Guest
Richmond is infinitely more important to me than SOO, but I still love watching Victoria beating up on lesser states (SA etc.). I'd be willing to accept the risk of seeing a Richmond player get injured representing the Big V, but probably most supporters wouldn't be willing to accept the risk. It's understandable as Origin culture has faded a lot since Ted Whitten passed.
Wayne
Roar Guru
Wow. No. It's a contractual thing the players association negotiated in for the break. They aren't playing during it. These things need to be met for origin to come back: Players match payment purse MUST be huge to compensate their time It must be Victoria v SA (or WA) It must involve the elite players At the moment, its a exhibition SANFL v VFL game that no one bothers to watch anyway. Hardly knocking the door down