2024 State Of Origin teams

[glengowan]

To me, the fundamental problem is Victoria are just too strong. Perpetually too strong. If you took any Victorian side this century, they would comfortably account for any given other state side. It would kill the interest.

The other big factor is there will be pressure from the clubs for their players to not go in too hard. Another spectacle killer.

That's been the case forever though. State footy has been played over 100 years and Victoria have been beaten plenty of times.

When it comes to the SA, WA and VIC jumpers - they've been worn by ALL of the greats of the game, except maybe the last 25 years in senior footy. Juniors they have. There is meaning and pride on those guernseys that you don't get wearing an "Allies" or "All-Stars" Guernsey. The players will go in hard.

 

[Cmarsh]

That's been the case forever though. State footy has been played over 100 years and Victoria have been beaten plenty of times.

When it comes to the SA, WA and VIC jumpers - they've been worn by ALL of the greats of the game, except maybe the last 25 years in senior footy. Juniors they have. There is meaning and pride on those guernseys that you don't get wearing an "Allies" or "All-Stars" Guernsey. The players will go in hard.

My prediction is the players might say they will go in hard at media engagements, but their clubs won't want them to. In this day and age of more professionalism and more at stake thsn ever before, I think the clubs will be very reluctant.

 

[iameviljez]

My prediction is the players might say they will go in hard at media engagements, but their clubs won't want them to. In this day and age of more professionalism and more at stake thsn ever before, I think the clubs will be very reluctant.

If State of Origin comes back, I predict the following:
2026: 65,000 people in attendance, both teams go hammer and tongs, great game, all the stars come out of it saying it was fantastic.
2027: 42,000 attend. Everyone plays, the game is half-decent. Someone important cops a concussion and has to miss the next two games for their club.
2028: Game shifted to the Docklands. Players from teams in the top-six have second thoughts about whether that niggling injury is really worth aggravating, a few pull out. MAFS screens a Saturday Night Special and tops the State Game for ratings.
2029: 25,000 attend. State sides have to be announced with full backup team, like the All Australian list of forty. Players of any club in the top eight start developing COVID, black death, whatever. Some unknown manages to win BoG. End of State of Origin.

 

[Cmarsh]

If State of Origin comes back, I predict the following:
2026: 65,000 people in attendance, both teams go hammer and tongs, great game, all the stars come out of it saying it was fantastic.
2027: 42,000 attend. Everyone plays, the game is half-decent. Someone important cops a concussion and has to miss the next two games for their club.
2028: Game shifted to the Docklands. Players from teams in the top-six have second thoughts about whether that niggling injury is really worth aggravating, a few pull out. MAFS screens a Saturday Night Special and tops the State Game for ratings.
2029: 25,000 attend. State sides have to be announced with full backup team, like the All Australian list of forty. Players of any club in the top eight start developing COVID, black death, whatever. Some unknown manages to win BoG. End of State of Origin.

But if you are right about the initial 65k and everyone loving it, why would that then drop to 42k at the next edition?

 

[iameviljez]

But if you are right about the initial 65k and everyone loving it, why would that then drop to 42k at the next edition?

Because the novelty wears off.

 

[p4p1]

To me, the fundamental problem is Victoria are just too strong. Perpetually too strong. If you took any Victorian side this century, they would comfortably account for any given other state side. It would kill the interest.

The other big factor is there will be pressure from the clubs for their players to not go in too hard. Another spectacle killer.

I think during period from '10-19 there would have been WA teams that could of gotten wins over the Vics. I'm not going to pick a particular season because that is just way too much research.
You had Buddy, LeCras, Kennedy, Hogan, Walters up forward.
Midfield choices of Fyfe, Priddis, Cognilio, Cripps, Mitchell, Hill brothers, Swallow.
Backline with Rance, McGovern, Taylor, Johannisen, Martin, Rich,
Ruck choices of Sandilands, NicNat and Ryder.
They could win games.

 

[Cmarsh]

I think during period from '10-19 there would have been WA teams that could of gotten wins over the Vics. I'm not going to pick a particular season because that is just way too much research.
You had Buddy, LeCras, Kennedy, Hogan, Walters up forward.
Midfield choices of Fyfe, Priddis, Cognilio, Cripps, Mitchell, Hill brothers, Swallow.
Backline with Rance, McGovern, Taylor, Johannisen, Martin, Rich,
Ruck choices of Sandilands, NicNat and Ryder.
They could win games.

A Vic midfield at any point during that time period would have easily beaten that WA midfield. GAJ, Judd, Pendels, Dangerfield, Selwood etc.

 

[p4p1]

A Vic midfield at any point during that time period would have easily beaten that WA midfield. GAJ, Judd, Pendels, Dangerfield, Selwood etc.

No doubt, but WAs midfield wasn't full of slouches either. WA had the better KPPs.

 

[GC2015]

That's actually a pretty decent line-up, outside of the key posts.

NSW & QLD can put together decent SoO lineups in 2026, but both will look better in a few years from now and would likely have a good chance to beat any state other than Victoria. That's when a State of Origin competition could get really interesting - if we have four states (QLD, NSW, WA & SA) all around the same standard and all trying their best to knock off Victoria at the top. Throw in Tassie to help build momentum for their entry into the AFL and an NT team for the crazy highlights their players would produce.

 

[Lingsface]

I think during period from '10-19 there would have been WA teams that could of gotten wins over the Vics. I'm not going to pick a particular season because that is just way too much research.
You had Buddy, LeCras, Kennedy, Hogan, Walters up forward.
Midfield choices of Fyfe, Priddis, Cognilio, Cripps, Mitchell, Hill brothers, Swallow.
Backline with Rance, McGovern, Taylor, Johannisen, Martin, Rich,
Ruck choices of Sandilands, NicNat and Ryder.
They could win games.

I agree my team from that decade would be.

Rich S Taylor H Taylor
McGovern Rance Corey
Kerr Cripps B Hill
Walters Franklin Hogan
LeCras Kennedy Cameron
Cox Fyfe Black

Bo Hill, Mitchell,Glass, Darling

 

[GC2015]

I agree my team from that decade would be.

Rich S Taylor H Taylor
McGovern Rance Corey
Kerr Cripps B Hill
Walters Franklin Hogan
LeCras Kennedy Cameron
Cox Fyfe Black

Bo Hill, Mitchell,Glass, Darling

WA would have had a really strong state team during periods of the 2010s. Wonder if that was part of the reason it didn't return because the Vics may have been worried that WA would beat them. No such concern these days and now we're talking about bringing it back. Interesting timing.

 

[Bjo187]

NSW & QLD can put together decent SoO lineups in 2026, but both will look better in a few years from now and would likely have a good chance to beat any state other than Victoria. That's when a State of Origin competition could get really interesting - if we have four states (QLD, NSW, WA & SA) all around the same standard and all trying their best to knock off Victoria at the top. Throw in Tassie to help build momentum for their entry into the AFL and an NT team for the crazy highlights their players would produce.

I agree, the whole concept works better without Victoria. If Victoria are included I'd split them into metro and country if you wanna play 3 origin games between 5 states each year.

I said elsewhere though, to start off I'd have this format on a 3 year rotation:

Year 1: Indigenous v African all stars
Year 2: W.A v S.A.
Year 3: Winner W.A v S.A. v Victoria

It keeps it fresh so it doesn't get stale and the players won't wanna miss out on the opportunity as it's only every few years.

Victoria never play at home coz it's already a difference in talent and S.A. and W.A fans will be more passionate in this origin format.

We need to promote the amazing African talent we now have in the game, with around 20 players now in the afl and dozens more in the vfl, sanfl, wafl. An African all stars backline would read:

Jiath Allir. Johanissen
Qaynor. Andrew. Idun

Then you'd have Touk Miller leading the mids and amartey leading the forwards. It's a pretty strong team and will also give opportunity to African background state league guys to get recruited, just like Marlion Pickett got exposure back in the old indigenous all stars game.

 

[Cmarsh]

I agree, the whole concept works better without Victoria. If Victoria are included I'd split them into metro and country if you wanna play 3 origin games between 5 states each year.

I said elsewhere though, to start off I'd have this format on a 3 year rotation:

Year 1: Indigenous v African all stars
Year 2: W.A v S.A.
Year 3: Winner W.A v S.A. v Victoria

It keeps it fresh so it doesn't get stale and the players won't wanna miss out on the opportunity as it's only every few years.

Victoria never play at home coz it's already a difference in talent and S.A. and W.A fans will be more passionate in this origin format.

We need to promote the amazing African talent we now have in the game, with around 20 players now in the afl and dozens more in the vfl, sanfl, wafl. An African all stars backline would read:

Jiath Allir. Johanissen
Qaynor. Andrew. Idun

Them you'd have touk Miller leading the mids and amartey leading the forwards. It's a pretty strong team and will also give opportunity to state league guys to get recruited, like Pickett back in the old indigenous all stars game.

African all stars? If you are thinking of a team of players of African heritage then there isn't enough of them to make side.

 

[Bjo187]

African all stars? If you are thinking of a team of players of African heritage then there isn't enough of them to make side.

I don't think you're reading my posts clearly today mate, that's the second time you've corrected me on something that's already specified in my post you're replying to . There are 20 in the afl and about another 30 in state league footy. You use those 20 and fill the rest of the team with African nbackground guys from the vfl, wafl, sanfl etc. It's good exposure to recruiters and has been done to fill the remainder of indigenous all stars teams in the past with good success.

The afl need to lean into and own the African background talent in Australia, before another sport takes it and they already have a head start which they should be promoting. It would be big news in Australia's African community, they already celebrate each time someone gets drafted in their online community pages, but there is a goldmine of talent there to be further tapped into.

 

[Cmarsh]

I don't think you're reading my posts clearly today mate, that's the second time you've corrected me on something that's already specified in my post you're replying to . There are 20 in the afl and about another 30 in state league footy. You use those 20 and fill the rest of the team with African nbackground guys from the vfl, wafl, sanfl etc. It's good exposure to recruiters and has been done to fill the remainder of indigenous all stars teams in the past with good success.

The afl need to lean into and own the African background talent in Australia, before another sport takes it and they already have a head start which they should be promoting. It would be big news in Australia's African community, they already celebrate each time someone gets drafted in their online community pages, but there is a goldmine of talent there to be further tapped into.

I agree somewhat that it would make for interesting publicity. I am not sure how you would get any semblance of balance from only 20 AFL level players to choose from. Many would be playing out of position and a fair few would only be fringe players. And if you are also picking from state leagues, then it goes to show you would be picking from a shallow talent pool.

They would likely get hidings, and the good will would dissipate fairly quickly.

 

[Bjo187]

I agree somewhat that it would make for interesting publicity. I am not sure how you would get any semblance of balance from only 20 AFL level players to choose from. Many would be playing out of position and a fair few would only be fringe players. And if you are also picking from state leagues, then it goes to show you would be picking from a shallow talent pool.

They would likely get hidings, and the good will would dissipate fairly quickly.

Of the 20 odd though they're mostly senior afl players and high level talent. The state league guys will be busting a gut to impress, so I think it would be close enough.

The talent gap would be less than between Victoria and some other state sides. Also the fact the game is only played once ever 3 years means that all going well and with the promotion this brings to the community, there will likely be 25, then 30 etc etc. The numbers should effectively grow each time the 3 year event rolls around.

Remember of course majak daw was the first and sole African background player when drafted to the AFL in 2010. Since then accounting for retirements and delisting, we've had at a minimum 30 players of African descent come through the afl system. It's been remarkable growth, even without the afl investing in it as much as it should have, at metropolitan grassroots level.

 

[Cmarsh]

The injury to Errol Gulden highlights the tenuousness of selection difficulties that State of Origin would present. If Gulden was Victorian, Vic SoO would probably have the depth to replace him. But in a NSW side, he is irreplaceable. In fact just a few injuries would leave the NSW Origin side up the creek in terms of competitiveness, the depth is that shallow. There is such as unevenness of depth of players to choose from between the state sides.

Also, If SoO does get revised for pre-season time next year as the AFL seem to be suggesting, you could imagine how reluctant Swans management would be in releasing him, from what would be fresh memories of losing him the year before for a significant part of the season.