State of Origin football may return in 2007

[Dogsbody]

Gentlemen... start your drooling.

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Demetriou tips return for Origin
by Anthony Barich

THE mouth-watering prospect of Warren Tredrea, Mark Ricciuto, Matthew Pavlich and Adam Cooney lining up together for South Australia could become a reality in two years. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has revealed the league is considering bringing State-ofOrigin back for football's 150-year celebrations in 2008.

"If someone could come up with a way to get the support of the clubs and players we are not opposed to it," Demetriou said. "In 2008, when we do our 150-year celebration of football – and we have got a lot of events planned – that would be a great year if we could find something in the calendar, but you will have to wait and see.."

SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker said the SANFL had always been a strong advocate for Origin but, for the format to work, it needed to have the best players available in the mid-season break. He said playing games after the Grand Final was not feasible. "In the middle of the season players are at their peak," Whicker said. "There will be genuine injuries, as there always will be, but you need the best players for it to be the best showcase possible – and not a regular thing, but perhaps bi-annually."

He said SA was better placed to host the games as Victoria rarely filled stadiums in State-of-Origin games. "The SA public have demonstrated they are absolutely fanatical about state football," he said. "We guarantee a full stadium. It's worth noting that, while 150 years of the game is worth celebrating, the SANFL is the oldest state league in Australia, having been formed in 1877 – we're older than the old VFL. But the clubs and players must support it."

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said he had always been pro-State-ofOrigin, but believed it needed more input from clubs as to what shape it took and when it was held. "If you want it to work well you need the clubs to be giving of their time, efforts and players," said Trigg, who would prefer a two-week carnival mid-season every two or four years. "There's no question there's a risk attached to players playing in those sorts of games. But if it's a well-structured, meaningful approach and the risks are the same for everybody, then its got a chance."

Meanwhile, Demetriou raised the prospect of a new club licence being awarded, rather than a Melbourne club relocating to western Sydney or southeast Queensland. It raises the prospect of a 17 or 18-team competition at some stage, with Demetriou saying the AFL would have failed if it had not expanded within 10 years.

Nervous Melbourne clubs have always believed the AFL was intent on one day relocating a financial struggler interstate but Demetriou said that was not necessarily the case. "We have to explore the opportunities," he said. "We have made no secret of it. "We are not saying it is a Victorian team. It could be a new licence. You can't say no to everything. All I know is that in 10 years the AFL has to have a presence in the western suburbs of Sydney, and in southeast Queensland, because we wouldn't be doing our job properly if we didn't."

He also gave an enticing glimpse into the 2007 pre-season cup, with a huge new modification planned as a departure from this year's program. It will not be a rule change or round-robin format but, beyond that, Demetriou refuses to expand. "We've got a huge, huge innovation for next year's NAB Cup," he said. "It will be a knock-out format but I am telling you it will be very interesting."

In other insights, Demetriou:

SAID the only obstacle to clubs playing overseas for premiership points was finding an underwriter to fund a game.

ADMITTED there were doubts about continued out-of-competition drug testing because of the lack of confidentiality.

REVEALED he would head to Germany's soccer World Cup on a fact-finding mission.

IS working on a strategy to ensure Brownlow medallists are there in person to accept the AFL's most prestigious individual award.

CONFIRMED a dramatic rise in prizemoney for the premiership would come into effect in 2007.

CONCEDED the AFL would not match membership or attendance records this year because of the Commonwealth Games, World Cup, and early ticket sales for the Ashes cricket series.

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Origin football... oooooooohhhhhhhhh yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahh. D

Wasn't sure whether this should have gone in this board or the AFL board.

[MightyEagles]

It'd be good if it was on. I believe that we the SANFL play the VFL in 2008 here in Adelaide.

[Blue Boy]

I have posted a what would your side be on the AFL - chat

[Punk Rooster]

Yawn.
Andy D on a "fact finding mission" to the World Cup???? Yes Andy, we believe you, you're not going there to watch it, are you?
As for ideas about what to do to celebrate 150 years, how about re-establishing football as a contact sport?

[spell_check]

If it were to be true:

[stan]

Yawn.
Andy D on a "fact finding mission" to the World Cup???? Yes Andy, we believe you, you're not going there to watch it, are you?
As for ideas about what to do to celebrate 150 years, how about re-establishing football as a contact sport?

Well if we want to re-establish AFL as a contact sport then should be put an add in the paper to return one hip and shoulder if found?

[Dogsbody]

It'd be good if it was on. I believe that we the SANFL play the VFL in 2008 here in Adelaide.

That's true... the SANFL has 2007 off from representative duties. An S.O.O AFL level match against the Vics would rock, and I think the next game would be here in Adelaide because the last one was at the 'G.

[Magpiespower]

Pipe dream.

[Rik E Boy]

Yawn.
Andy D on a "fact finding mission" to the World Cup???? Yes Andy, we believe you, you're not going there to watch it, are you?
As for ideas about what to do to celebrate 150 years, how about re-establishing football as a contact sport?

More GOLD from Punkybrooster.

regards,

REB