The decision by the AFL to develop a bushfire relief response should be applauded.
Australia has suffered through some of the most devastating bushfires in living memory, causing loss of life, wildlife, homes and more. As a community, we should be proud of the AFL for wanting to support the people, communities and agencies affected by these disasters.
But here’s the but: the State of Origin for bushfire relief match is not State of Origin.
I fully support the AFL’s decision to raise funds for bushfire relief, but it’s not Western Australia versus Victoria at Subiaco Oval. It’s not Ted Whitten at the MCG.
Sure, players from Victoria get to represent their state, but not all of those who deserve an opportunity will get that opportunity. The teams will not be selected purely on merit.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, State of Origin provided the most elite and fierce games of Australian rules football you could find.
On 8 October 1977, the first ever State of Origin match of any sort was played between Victoria and Western Australia at Subiaco Oval.
Sadly, the passion exhibited in those early clashes is now owned by Queensland and New South Wales, and rugby league. The AFL has lost the plot.
The passion that players and coaches like Basil Campbell, Ted Whitten and Mal Brown brought to these spectacles is legendary. Why?
(Getty Images)
To represent your state is the highest honour a player can earn. Players represented their state, not an amalgamation of states. It still means something. Give it back to the players and the fans, see what happens, but not like this.
To call a game State of Origin when the players will clearly be focusing on self preservation – just like the NBA All-Star game where nobody defends – is insulting to every player that has ever played State of Origin.
To hand a State of Origin jersey to a player – albeit one that might say Allies – is insulting to every player that earned the honour of representing their state.
If the AFL wants to honour the integrity of the game of Australian rules football, then please call this a charity all-star match.
Gillon McLachlan has already insulted so many fans in Australia by sealing a long-term deal for the AFL grand final to be held at the MCG every year until 2057.
He has got so much wrong by locking in such an extended contract for the grand final. The greatest spectacles in world club sports are the Super Bowl and the UEFA Champions League final.
Are they held every year in the same city? No. They travel the USA (to the highest bidder) and Europe, but it allows fans that don’t live in one specific city the opportunity to attend the event.
It’s not about getting as many fans as possible in the stadium, as the income generated is always dominated by broadcast deals and not bums on seats. This is about all fans, not just the ones in Victoria.
If Gillon McLachlan wants to leave the AFL in a better state than he found it, now is his time. Now is his chance to leave a legacy. Start with preserving State of Origin.
Or is it too late?
Mitcher
Guest
Been to 5, thanks for asking.
Antony Pincombe
Roar Rookie
You are right. It is not State of Origin. It is an All Stars game. But then again State of Origin was only played between three states, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. What about the rest of us mate. We had to play in a different comp. Then the last year of State of Origin we actually took part as the All Stars. While we were happy to be a part of it we were unhappy that this is what it takes for us to play SOO footy. SOO is a concept invented for three states and fuck the rest.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Its Cracka, mate, What the AFL should do is fix the ticketing system for the club members and do a deal with an airline, that includes for members who buy grand final tickets through their club, a set price for tickets for flights, so people traveling from Perth, Brisbane, SA or Sydney get a great deal for flights, I know if I could get a good price for flights interstate to see games of footy I would go.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Good call , the last fire started in WA was by a bird. Morrison and Climate change have not started or caused any fires over here.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Every one is aware of the shoddy extension until 2052 and we live with it, not to say people cannot express a opinion that we are still stuck in the VFL mode and fight for a true and fair AFL playing field. We won't be silenced Crack.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Joe I think your forgetting its contracted to the MCG until 2052, so its no going anywhere, you have to just live with it being in Victoria, the home of football.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Would this be the same 40k MCC and Victorians who get to see it every year? Seriously, you do not care at all about how many Australians get to see a GF live, you only care about how many Victorians get to see it. Furthermore, I am not proposing the MCG never host a GF. Ideally, the GF would be hosted every other year at the MCG, and the other years be played outside Victoria. Lets put the Australia back into the Australian Football League.
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
I hope they're not playing the game under lights, cos that will increase the effects of climate change, resulting in even more bush fires at which point we can play another match to raise funds for that one too.....and so on.....and so on...and so on.....and so on....
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Yeah that’s sounds about right and the point you make?
RT
Roar Rookie
Whatever you think my motivations are, I was just responding to the claim that playing in SA or WA, more people would experience a Grand Final. If by that you mean the parade and everything else apart from attending, then sure, but to think more "real" supporters would get to attend a Perth or Adelaide GF than MCG is wishful thinking.
Fairsuckofthesav
Roar Rookie
Adelaide Oval is the HOME of football for South Australians.
Fairsuckofthesav
Roar Rookie
C'mon Tiger it's not about numbers but losing your home ground advantage.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Joe, the MCG holds 100024 people, so 40,024 extra people get to see it live, that’s a fact, if another state wants to host the Grand Final, which they don’t as they know the MCG has the rights to the Grand Final until 2052 and that’s just the way it is, just like the sun will rise in the morning and go down at the end of the day, if you don’t like it so be it, that’s your personal right. The article is talking about selling it to the highest bidder to make money from the fan base and TV rights – to which I disagree, I would always like the AFL Grand Final to be on free to air TV.
Baggio
Guest
The Afl can become more flexible in the number of tickets they can allocate for grand finals, as do other major sports. The afl are not a poor organisation. If they were, they would not be taking games to Alice springs, Cairns during the regular season etc Sponsors can suck it up ...
Macca
Roar Rookie
That's my thinking so really why bother
Macca
Roar Rookie
I would suggest every club has only 2000 guaranteed tickets for sale, but that is 36k guaranteed tickets! The idea that at a stadium that holds roughly 40k less people would somehow fit in more "real fans" is ridiculous - the AFL aren't going to take tickets away from AFL members, club members with guaranteed tickets or corporate sponsors - it will be the average fan who will lose out.
RT
Roar Rookie
The latter seems likely.
Gary
Roar Rookie
"BT & JB guffawing all the way through"... the icing on the shit cake.
RT
Roar Rookie
Nonsense based on what? It seems likely that sponsors will expect the same number of tickets for their dollar.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Only 2000 Freo members get a guarantee for a ticket to the GF if they make it, at a cost of a extra $60.00 every year but it will not guarantee a $3,000 return flight. The other 50,000 members have a lucky dip to purchase a ticket.