So much for fans' choice on Origin, Port Power!

[Sojourner]

State of Origin seems to be a massive boost for the NRL in its attempt to gain a national audience for its matches, doing the same for the AFL should have the same effect.

Clubs are never going to agree to the idea, consider how the premier league clubs respond to releasing their players for World Cup trial games, their focus is on protecting their investment.

I think that we should have it in the middle of the split round, so over three weeks you have the first half of the AFL matches in the first week, then in the second week the State of Origin, then in the third week the remaining AFL games.

Any player that "rules themselves out" for the series because of injury should automatically become ineligable for selection by their AFL club for their clubs next two matches.

[Strawb]

BTW, can any NRL fans out there tell us if all NRL players come from eiether QLD or NSW or do they have rules to 'allocate' any players that didn't come from those states (if any)???????

Hondo No limits on players from any club and these blokes are willing to line up and wear the mighty Maroon or weak Sky Blue. It is mate Vs. Mate, State Vs. State they don't care if they have a punch up on the ground on Wednesday and then play along side each other on Saturday.
I want SOO brought back it is the only chance you get to play representative footy in Aussie Rules. The clubs are to narrow minded make it the old way SA Vs. WA Vs. Vic that's all we need.

[Benchwarmer]

All players are from NSW and Qld - some are NZ born but must live the majority of their childhood in "their" state to play.

In the NRL, the number of players originally from Vic, SA, WA, NT and Tas can be counted on an armless person's fingers.

[Rik E Boy]

Bring back SOO. As a Blue Bagger living in SA, was nothing better then watching Sticks & Braddles (to name a couple) pull on theat State Jumper and allow myself unbridled state passion for the afternoon!
Would love to see Gibbs in a few years time get the opportunity as well...

I used to love SOO in the mid 80's but it went sour for me when the locals booed Gary Ablett. Didn't quite feel the same about it after that.

regards,

REB

[silicone skyline]

In the NRL, the number of players originally from Vic, SA, WA, NT and Tas can be counted on an armless person's fingers.

What about the Melbourne Storm??
Surely...

[Strawb]

I don't think the storm have a Melbourne born player in their side but i will admit i could be wrong.

[Blue Boy]

I actually cant wait to see it.

I personally dont buy in to the state of origin every week from Bill - but he has a job to do I guess.

[Benchwarmer]

Storm have had 2-3 players go up to the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup (the equivalent of the Reserves) but none have passed the test.

Three Qld Origin reps, three NSW Origin reps in Origin 2 but still no Vics in their 10th season.

At least the Swans had Terry Thripp after a couple of years up north!

[Dutchy]

why bother even playing it if it's going to be a mickey mouse preseason game with "only 3 or 4 players" from each club.

"we get state of origin every week".

have to agree with this post we don't need state of origin it is old news time to move on.

As a Kangaroos fan who is South Australian please explain how I get State of Origin every week????...as I keep saying the AFL is a club competition, there is no alignment to the state with ANY side in the comp

[saintal]

why bother even playing it if it's going to be a mickey mouse preseason game with "only 3 or 4 players" from each club.

"we get state of origin every week".

have to agree with this post we don't need state of origin it is old news time to move on.

As a Kangaroos fan who is South Australian please explain how I get State of Origin every week????...as I keep saying the AFL is a club competition, there is no alignment to the state with ANY side in the comp

Agree with that sentiment.

I want to see SOO back as much as anybody, but not in a diluted form as it looks as though will be the case.

[Dutchy]

Should add while Im a Roos man in the AFL, Id be the first to buy a ticket to watch SA play

[Hondo]

I'd like to see it an annual event but my gut feeling, based on comments around the place by people in high places, is that next year will be a once-off with maybe only a couple of show-case games.

Some of the theories on a SOO carnival with all 8 states and territories playing under their own banner, would make any club CEO want to consume 44 bottles of wine as he contemplates his best players playing 2-4 extra games in-season.

I just wonder how we'd feel if hypothetically we were a Geelong supporter (sorry REB!) and G Ablett, Bartel and Scarlett all suffered long-term injuries playing a one-sided match v NT. Would we be dirty on the concept ..... be HONEST? I wonder ....

[Dogwatcher]

I'd be just as dirty if they got injured in a meaningless pre-season game.

[Blue Boy]

why bother even playing it if it's going to be a mickey mouse preseason game with "only 3 or 4 players" from each club.

"we get state of origin every week".

have to agree with this post we don't need state of origin it is old news time to move on.

As a Kangaroos fan who is South Australian please explain how I get State of Origin every week????...as I keep saying the AFL is a club competition, there is no alignment to the state with ANY side in the comp

I actually agree Dutch - as stated before as a crows supporter I do not agree with Bill !!!

[Benchwarmer]

Injuries are an occupational hazard with the game and they happen everywhere - in H&A or finals matches, pre-season matches, training ... even Josh Gibson's bathroom.

There's no guarantee of course that there would be no injuries in a SOO match but I see both sides. As a spectator, it would be nice to see some of our homegrowns in their state colours like they do at primary school, secondary school and Under 18s (RIP the Teal Cup!) ... but not have it overdone as has been done in the past.

Applying my Sports Administration degree to the issue, in the 70s and 80s there were strong parochial influences in all Australian sports but the advent of nationalism to expand competitions into new territories is suppose to have caused a nationalisation of all Australian sport from Soccer in 1977 to the VFL and NSWRL by the latter stages of the 80s and finally Baseball a few years later still.

Whereas Rugby League has two main states and only one strata of competition, Aussie Rules has a number (Vic, SA, WA, Tas, NT, Qld, NSW) - the initial tackling of this was to play Vic, SA and WA against each other and on top of this, Victoria sent B sides to the other states to ensure the other states played matches ... indeed on the one weekend nearly 30 years ago, Victoria played SA(?), Tas and the ACT all on the SAME WEEKEND.

By the late 80s, nationalism meant that the other states needed representation to cause interst in the game and give players a representative pathway. Here lies the problem, now you have 4-5 teams all vying for matches against each other and making the concept problematic.

Solutions?
East v West? No identity. Wouldn't be popular.
No matches? Some players and some people will be upset.
Exclude some teams? Some players and some people will be upset.
Play annually? Most clubs, some players and some people will be upset.

Hmmm ... lucky in work in cricket administration and not footy. I'm sure that there is no solution that will make all clubs, all players and all supporters happy.

[silent hour]

State of Origin seems to be a massive boost for the NRL in its attempt to gain a national audience for its matches, doing the same for the AFL should have the same effect.

must have been a huge boost here in Adelaide, Wednesday nights game was shown on channel nine at 3:30AM yesterday morning.

[Blue Boy]

State of Origin seems to be a massive boost for the NRL in its attempt to gain a national audience for its matches, doing the same for the AFL should have the same effect.

must have been a huge boost here in Adelaide, Wednesday nights game was shown on channel nine at 3:30AM yesterday morning.

I thought they had it on @ 830pm last night !!!

[Benchwarmer]

I nearly fainted here in Perth last night when Channel 9 screened it at 8.30 - Postcards WA was on before hand (WTF?) for some reason and then without warning ... whoosh ... Matthew Johns is on my screen doing the introductory promo for the coverage!

League is in a woeful state here since the Reds remorphed into the Melbourne Storm and the Western Force Super 14 side has virtually ensured that. The WARL isn't a bad standard but there's a bit of bad blood after the team got whisked away ... even though their debt was astronomical!

[stan]

The "State of Origin every week" argument is B.S.

Every side is a blend of intrastate and interstate players - teams are state-BASED sides not State OF ORIGIN sides.

But just like in the media, why let the facts obscure personal opinions.

Calm down benchy. There was a big smilie after that comment so I'd suggest that your Microsoft Sarcasm Detector may not be operational. Please consult your nearest sense of humour technician.

regards,

REB

Another BS Mircosoft product

[silicone skyline]

I orginated from a state of inebriation my dad was in.
I represent that state regularly, and it's an honour.