Andrew Dillon flags interest in bringing back State of Origin

[Bostonian]

Bring it on. Best vs the best. Who the actual f wouldn't want to see that?

People who don't want to see their best players get injured in a nothing game.

Imagine losing Cripps or Curnow for a season to this rubbish.

 

[Bostonian]

Liverpool sends their players off to play for their country, Hawthorn would be sending their players off to play for their state, which makes sense given soccer is an international game and AFL is a national game, so our version of an international game would be a state game.

And soccer players play a soft game. Far less likely to do an injury that could put them out for a season.

You bring up Hawthorn.

Remember when Andy Collins put Tony Hall out for an extended period?

Hall was never the same classy player after that.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I like the general idea but I'd rather split Victoria into metro and country than have a separate NSW and ACT.

No splits or conglomerations - only actual states and territories. I can't see any way the clubs allow it.
And while players say they are in favour, how long that would last on any sort of regular basis is highly questionable.

ACT is probably out, NT is probably close to as strong as Tas - probably has been stronger at times over the past 20 years when the AFL's seemingly deliberate destruction of Tas footy hit its peak.
Which leaves either five or seven teams, an unwieldy number either way.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

No splits or conglomerations - only actual states and territories. I can't see any way the clubs allow it.
And while players say they are in favour, how long that would last on any sort of regular basis is highly questionable.

Then it'll be unequal and some people will stop bothering if Victoria wins everything. I don't think the city v country divide is artificial or anything, it is a real divide.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I think this is a silly comparison because Liverpool doesn't let their players go play in a gimmick match that means nothing and leads to nothing but carries all the risk of injury.

Yeah they do, they have those stupid pre-season and post-season international tours to milk revenue from.

 

[Truetiger]

Unfortunately won’t work as the clubs won’t allow their senior players to play. Fix that then anything is possible.

 

[Lsta062]

I want to see how the game looks like if the best AFL players come together and play each other. It’s an 18-team competition now and the talent that one team can gather due to salary cap & draft order etc. is limited. You simply won’t find the best this game can give in H&A and finals due to these equalisation measures.

I think the prospect of an actual State of Origin (not that preseason game at Marvel a while ago!) would be amazing. The NBA have the All-Stars match, the EPL and all the other soccer leagues have the World Cup, the NRL have the State of Origin, cricket has the cricket World Cup etc. The AFL needs something like this.

I’d have the main AFL All-Stars match(es) on the night while the reserves All-Stars match(es) is played as a curtain-raiser.

 

[bzparkes]

Pass. There's already enough of the commentators creaming themselves in the box over Vic clubs/players every time they do something mildly good.

The commentary team would drown in their own goo every time the 'Big V' gets umpired to a win at thee 'home' of football.

The E.J. Whitten legends game had more credibility than the last couple of times SOO did the rounds.

 

[sosos]

Blues are a genuine flag chance this year.

How about if Crippa was running around for WA and does his knee? Or even a hammy?

Stuff that. No.

People who don't want to see their best players get injured in a nothing game.

Imagine losing Cripps or Curnow for a season to this rubbish.

We lost Curnow for two years when he slipped while playing a little gentle basketball. Injuries are part of the game.

Of course I would hate losing them for club games.

But that argument is such a selfish excuse, depriving us all of a brilliant spectacle.

 

[Lsta062]

Slightly different level of prestige in playing in the World Cup versus playing State of Origin. The World Cup is recognised as the pinnacle of the sport - SOO is not. Ask any AFL player what they would rather win - a premiership or a SOO match, I reckon 99% are going for the flag. Ask any soccer player whether they would rather win a premiership or a World Cup and I reckon 99% are going for the World Cup.

But prestige is built over generations. In NRL, it is a big deal. Players want to be selected in the State of Origin.

Although the NBA All-Stars isn’t as prestigious, the best players still participate. Even if it’s just an exhibition match, the NBA community have pretty much bought into it for decades.

The AFL is stagnant on something like this because its supporters, teams, and players are too attached to how the game is now. For me though, I’m interested in elevating the game to showcase the best it’s got. Something like a State of Origin makes sense because it’s a happy medium between keeping an 18-team competition while getting the satisfaction of watching a high-calibre AFL match (with talent squeezed into about 2-4 teams depending on the format).

I know people are concerned about injuries, but they can happen in literally any game. It can even happen in training, so I’m not concerned about injury risks. I think a State of Origin match or something like it can positively impact the game. It’s a source of revenue for one, and prestige will come over time IMO.

 

[Taylor]

The gimmick is what they want, so hire all the recently retired for it

 

[Robroy22]

Love the concept of State of origin AFL
Here's our chance to remake the comp, set the draw so that teams play each other ONCE per home and away (then swap venues the next season) that leaves plenty of time in the middle of the year for an extended BYE for all teams whilst the State of Origin plays out at revolving venues.

 

[Bostonian]

We lost Curnow for two years when he slipped while playing a little gentle basketball. Injuries are part of the game.

Of course I would hate losing them for club games.

But that argument is such a selfish excuse, depriving us all of a brilliant spectacle.

An AFL flag is everything. A SOO game is nothing.

You'd risk everything for nothing.

Selfish?

Risking professional athlete's careers for a mickey mouse exhibition game, that's the epitome of selfish.

 

[sosos]

An AFL flag is everything. A SOO game is nothing.

You'd risk everything for nothing.

Selfish?

Risking professional athlete's careers for a mickey mouse exhibition game, that's the epitome of selfish.

Nothing?

Soo is where some of our greatest players showcased their talents on a massive stage, something a lot of them never got the chance to do because they played for average teams.

And they had an entire state supporting them. The complete opposite of Mickey Mouse.

 

[Bostonian]

Nothing?

Soo is where some of our greatest players showcased their talents on a massive stage, something a lot of them never got the chance to do because they played for average teams.

And they had an entire state supporting them. The complete opposite of Mickey Mouse.

Massive?

It's a mickey mouse game that died in the arse because the number of players that didn't want to play it and get injured got larger and larger.

 

[sosos]

Massive?

It's a mickey mouse game that died in the arse because the number of players that didn't want to play it and get injured got larger and larger.

Has been at times. The history is pretty interesting. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_matches_in_Australian_rules_football

You are correct some players didn't want to participate late in the piece. I have heard similar stories from NRL over the years.

100% a flag for my team is the absolute pinnacle, by a long way. But I remember absolutely loving the old SOO games when I was growing up. Incredible spectacles. And I was proud to see players from my team star on that stage.

It could return if the AFL has the will to commit to it. It's also interesting that their annual player's survey shows the concept is well supported.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

We must be the only sport in the world that refuses to do representative football.

We are the A-League, and for some reason we are refusing to ever watch an International game of soccer, despite the considerably higher level of player quality.

We are the only sport that refuses to show our sport in as high a quality as it can possibly be. Every other sport that I can think of does it.

Some sporting comps don't take their rep games too seriously though. NBA allstars and NFL pro-bowl for instance.

If we ever had an international sport, I guarantee we'd be taking it seriously.

 

[Cmarsh]

Has been at times. The history is pretty interesting. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_matches_in_Australian_rules_football

You are correct some players didn't want to participate late in the piece. I have heard similar stories from NRL over the years.

100% a flag for my team is the absolute pinnacle, by a long way. But I remember absolutely loving the old SOO games when I was growing up. Incredible spectacles. And I was proud to see players from my team star on that stage.

It could return if the AFL has the will to commit to it. It's also interesting that their annual player's survey shows the concept is well supported.

If Dillion is already publicly saying he wants SoO to return then it seems it is not the AFL that will be the roadblock. I would say it will be most likely the clubs that will have concerns due to being reluctant to releasing their players.

 

[Dazb86]

I went to the last real SOO game as a kid. Was one of my fondest times at the footy.

Chants of 'we hate you cos you're Victorian' ended up being drowned out by 'you're so shit it's unbelievable'. Of course the Vics dominated but that's par for the course really.

If they could get the players to fully commit I'd be extremely keen to see it again.

 

[Cmarsh]

I went to the last real SOO game as a kid. Was one of my fondest times at the footy.

Chants of 'we hate you cos you're Victorian' ended up being drowned out by 'you're so shit it's unbelievable'. Of course the Vics dominated but that's par for the course really.

If they could get the players to fully commit I'd be extremely keen to see it again.

Dont think there will be a huge problem with players committing, it will be the clubs releasing them I think.

 

[Dazb86]

Then it'll be unequal and some people will stop bothering if Victoria wins everything. I don't think the city v country divide is artificial or anything, it is a real divide.

There needs to be a study into why the Vics are so good.

 

[CarterS]

It'll probably happen now because AFL see dollar signs.

You can't fake or manufacture the passion you get in NRL's Origin. Ask people up here in QLD if they'd rather their NRL team win a premiership or a SOO win and you'd be surprised how many would say Origin.

AFL's version would be played like a pre season game whereas the NRL version is played at a GF level of intensity.

And who can get passionate about an "Allies" team?

If it's done I'd like to see SA v VIC maybe, that's as closest AFL gets to a genuine SOO rivalry.

Maybe like the NFL where they do it at the end of the season? Origin players missing regular season games is normal in the NRL but I don't think it'd be accepted as much in the AFL.

 

[Cmarsh]

It'll probably happen now because AFL see dollar signs.

You can't fake or manufacture the passion you get in NRL's Origin. Ask people up here in QLD if they'd rather their NRL team win a premiership or a SOO win and you'd be surprised how many would say Origin.

AFL's version would be played like a pre season game whereas the NRL version is played at a GF level of intensity.

And who can get passionate about an "Allies" team?

If it's done I'd like to see SA v VIC maybe, that's as closest AFL gets to a genuine SOO rivalry.

Maybe like the NFL where they do it at the end of the season? Origin players missing regular season games is normal in the NRL but I don't think it'd be accepted as much in the AFL.

Current SA vs current VIC wouldn't be competitive though. Vics would make mince meat out of them.

 

[Dazb86]

It'll probably happen now because AFL see dollar signs.

You can't fake or manufacture the passion you get in NRL's Origin. Ask people up here in QLD if they'd rather their NRL team win a premiership or a SOO win and you'd be surprised how many would say Origin.

AFL's version would be played like a pre season game whereas the NRL version is played at a GF level of intensity.

And who can get passionate about an "Allies" team?

If it's done I'd like to see SA v VIC maybe, that's as closest AFL gets to a genuine SOO rivalry.

Maybe like the NFL where they do it at the end of the season? Origin players missing regular season games is normal in the NRL but I don't think it'd be accepted as much in the AFL.

They mucked up letting it go so long without playing.

There used to be genuine rivalries. Especially Vic V S.A. Absolute bitterness from S.A and smug arrogance from Vic.

I'm sure the W.A rivalry would have grown during the 2000's with the teams W.A could have produced over that period.

 

[StartTheCarr]

Please don't.