News "State of Origin is back" - Eddie McGuire, March 2025

[GC2015]

Nick Daicos and Chad Warner both named.

Daicos participating just about guarantees at least 75% of Collingwood fans will tune in after 5 months of no footy. Ratings should be solid with the majority of the Magpie army tuning in.

 

[Carringbush2010]

Daicos participating just about guarantees at least 75% of Collingwood fans will tune in after 5 months of no footy. Ratings should be solid with the majority of the Magpie army tuning in.

And here in lies the problem, we'll / I'll be tuning in to see how Nick and any other Pies go, like blues fans will be tuning into to see how crippa goes.

Not many if any will be barracking for the big v or WA (as in blues fans), they'll be barracking for their club players to do well and hope they don't get injured.

 

[Fabab]

Nothing game I think ,unlike the nrl origin.

 

[Kappa]

And here in lies the problem, we'll / I'll be tuning in to see how Nick and any other Pies go, like blues fans will be tuning into to see how crippa goes.

Not many if any will be barracking for the big v or WA (as in blues fans), they'll be barracking for their club players to do well and hope they don't get injured.

What "problem"? If the ratings are high and theres a bumper crowd and we get attacking fun footy why wouldn't that be a big success?

 

[Cmarsh]

What "problem"? If the ratings are high and theres a bumper crowd and we get attacking fun footy why wouldn't that be a big success?

If the game is too attacking and not enough emphasis on the contest fans will see right through it. Although Bont was interviewed the other day and says he plans to go in hard.

 

[Bjo187]

Should’ve been QLD v WA or SA.

If they so desperately needed Vic in it, Metro v Country.

Queensland with another 7 players likely to go in the draft tonight, 3 of which likely in the top 5.

Add that to Ashcroft's, Fletcher, Walter, Read, Rogers, Lombard, Gallop, Graham and in 3 to 5 years time, they will be the team that will actually be able to play Victoria and not get smacked off the park. So we should be cheering it on, the high level young talent in QLD now is amazing and that's where the future of state footy will come from. Hopefully Aleer and Harris Andrews haven't retired by then too.

 

[Bjo187]

What "problem"? If the ratings are high and theres a bumper crowd and we get attacking fun footy why wouldn't that be a big success?

I dunno if you've picked up, Bigfooty is pretty much footy fans that whinge about every new suggestion or innovation the afl come up with, mixed with rugby league fans from league unlimited here to incessantly troll and get away with it.

 

[Carringbush2010]

What "problem"? If the ratings are high and theres a bumper crowd and we get attacking fun footy why wouldn't that be a big success?

Fair point, then it's a question of, if the fans turn up an tune in, does HQ give a flying if the fans don't 'barrack ' for their state. Probably not.

 

[Carringbush2010]

If the game is too attacking and not enough emphasis on the contest fans will see right through it. Although Bont was interviewed the other day and says he plans to go in hard.

'see right through it.'

We see right through it anyway, it's an attempt to coerce fans into barracking for state, like nrl, but it'll never be nrl soo. Fans will tune and turn up but for us fans it'll always be club first

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Fair point, then it's a question of, if the fans turn up an tune in, does HQ give a flying if the fans don't 'barrack ' for their state. Probably not.

Probably. If people don't support their state teams, there would be the question of whether poeple will support their club players in non-club games beyond a novelty act.
Even if it rates well in 2026, rating well a secopnd time is questionable unless poeple actually get behind the states. At a guess i suaspect mostly the older half of the fan base in the state comncerned will care - others will tune in but not necessarily be won over into goving a shit about the result. (Personally, I loved Origin, but few under about 50 seem to genuinely want it back.)

 

[Carringbush2010]

Probably. If people don't support their state teams, there would be the question of whether poeple will support their club players in non-club games beyond a novelty act.
Even if it rates well in 2026, rating well a secopnd time is questionable unless poeple actually get behind the states. At a guess i suaspect mostly the older half of the fan base in the state comncerned will care - others will tune in but not necessarily be won over into goving a shit about the result. (Personally, I loved Origin, but few under about 50 seem to genuinely want it back.)

As 55 yo i remember it well, great concept and great to watch.

All peers of similar age at the time, like me, were more interested in how our club players performed than if vic won.

I'll fairly assume that won't change.

Where as soo is the pinnacle in nrl for the fans. At least that's the impression given

 

[Kappa]

Fair point, then it's a question of, if the fans turn up an tune in, does HQ give a flying if the fans don't 'barrack ' for their state. Probably not.

AFL will be thrilled with a full crowd and good ratings. I reckon the WA public will then up in big numbers

 

[Leeda]

And after the first ACL SOO will disappear again.

Awesome.about time someone gave a shit about SOO....CLICK bait

 

[Leeda]

If they go ahead with it I think they will alternate between SoO and International Rules year by year.

Don't mind that either.

 

[GC2015]

And here in lies the problem, we'll / I'll be tuning in to see how Nick and any other Pies go, like blues fans will be tuning into to see how crippa goes.

Not many if any will be barracking for the big v or WA (as in blues fans), they'll be barracking for their club players to do well and hope they don't get injured.

Why is that a problem? From a broadcaster perspective, they just want the highest rating possible so their commercial partners pay top dollar to advertise during the game.

4 million people watched the AFL grand final this year - how many of those 4 million people were watching it genuinely barracking for one of the teams that was participating? Less than a million for sure, but no one says it's a problem.

Also, I think you're underestimating WA footy fans. I reckon a lot of them will show up ready to passionately cheer on their state team and I suspect you'll see plenty of yellow jumpers in the crowd.

 

[Cmarsh]

Why is that a problem? From a broadcaster perspective, they just want the highest rating possible so their commercial partners pay top dollar to advertise during the game.

4 million people watched the AFL grand final this year - how many of those 4 million people were watching it genuinely barracking for one of the teams that was participating? Less than a million for sure, but no one says it's a problem.

Also, I think you're underestimating WA footy fans. I reckon a lot of them will show up ready to passionately cheer on their state team and I suspect you'll see plenty of yellow jumpers in the crowd.

Your last sentence brings out another commercial benefit - merch sales.
Not that many would have a state guernsey, so a whole raft of people will be buying new ones with SoO being revived.

 

[GC2015]

Your last sentence brings out another commercial benefit - merch sales.
Not that many would have a state guernsey, so a whole raft of people will be buying new ones with SoO being revived.

That's true. I reckon plenty of West Aussies will purchase black swan jumpers for this game and I'm sure some Vics will buy Big V jumpers as well. More revenue is only a good thing for the game.

 

[p4p1]

That's true. I reckon plenty of West Aussies will purchase black swan jumpers for this game and I'm sure some Vics will buy Big V jumpers as well. More revenue is only a good thing for the game.

I will 100% be buying a black swan jumper, even though I am not attending and think the S.. game has some major floors that have been spoken about a million times here.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Perhaps the worst matchup of the big 3

SA vs WA - 5-5
SA vs Vic - 8-9
WA vs Vic - 7-12

 

[GC2015]

Perhaps the worst matchup of the big 3

SA vs WA - 5-5
SA vs Vic - 8-9
WA vs Vic - 7-12

Didn't realise it was that close between SA & Victoria. Assuming this first game in Perth goes well, it'd be really interesting to see South Australia host Victoria at Adelaide Oval in 2027 and SA having the opportunity to tie the overall head-to-head record just adds to the intrigue. Interestingly, Victoria defeated South Australia in the last three games they played against one another. So South Australia was actually way ahead of the Vics for a while and I'm guessing that's got to do with the 1980s when the likes of Kernahan continually led SA to wins over the Big V.

My understanding is SA v Victoria was the pinnacle in terms of State of Origin rivalries so it'd be great to see it come back in 2027 and a hypothetical SA team looks pretty strong with the likes of Lachie Neale, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine, Will Day, Connor Rozee etc in the midfield.

 

[Bjo187]

I'm annoyed that he's pissed about it. Some of these footballers aren't very smart, but good to see the AFL stopped it.

 

[juss]

I'm annoyed that he's pissed about it. Some of these footballers aren't very smart, but good to see the AFL stopped it.

View attachment 2502471

Whats the SoO eligibility? Is it where you were born, where you "grew up" or where you played your junior or rep footy?

 

[Cmarsh]

I'm annoyed that he's pissed about it. Some of these footballers aren't very smart, but good to see the AFL stopped it.

View attachment 2502471

Well I actually see it as a good thing he is angry about not playing SoO. Shows some willingness. Its a far cry from the late 90's where players were passing on it in droves.

Heard nothing but a real want to play this time around.

 

[Cmarsh]

Whats the SoO eligibility? Is it where you were born, where you "grew up" or where you played your junior or rep footy?

Where you played your junior footy when you were drafted.

 

[Cleavy]

I'm annoyed that he's pissed about it. Some of these footballers aren't very smart, but good to see the AFL stopped it.

View attachment 2502471

sounds like they (AFL) are selective. from the article "Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett was granted special consideration to play for WA despite playing his junior football in South Australia and representing SA at under-18 level."