Andrew Dillon flags interest in bringing back State of Origin

[SSSSSS]

Just play the national champs during the bye round.

Any money made can be divvied out to grassroots footy.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

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

I got your study right here:

Population and Aussie Rules being the dominant code. Good night, everybody!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

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.

I guess we should stop training sessions then so players dont get injured.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

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

Tell the clubs they have no choice.

 

[Cmarsh]

Tell the clubs they have no choice.

Problem is I'm pretty sure playing SoO wouldn't be written into anyone's contract.

 

[Foucault1989]

I'd like to see State of Origin. I like the concept - it'd be fun to watch.

 

[dumb]

haven't read the thread, but have already thought it's something that belongs in gather round if it becomes a thing. it would be the best way to capitalise on the rage fomenting from victorian/other supporter bases having to play home games in south australia.
but as a concept it doesn't really gel with the current football landscape leaning so heavily on sports science. we're trying to give players more rests and avoid injury as much as possible. back in the 80's, not so much a problem. as a spectacle it wouldn't take much to become another painful ted whitten match.

 

[dumb]

Instead of a football match each state should compete in a televised cheesecake making competition

I'd watch that

i'm a footballer, get me out of here. camera crew sets up at junction oval.

 

[GC2015]

Now that this is officially on the cards and may actually happen, I'm starting to dream about what a future Maroons team may look like. Harris Andrews

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Harris Andrews

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94.0

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, Eric Hipwood

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Eric Hipwood

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26

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, Will Ashcroft, Jed Walter etc. Could be a very strong state team in the next five years.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Has no hope whatsoever of working now.

Back in the day dreamer board.

Do you think he actually wants to do it, or more of a nice sound bite

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It will happen at some point soon, just a matter of when.

The AFL will 100% give it a go.

The days of sports broadcast rights automatically going up and up and up are gone. Sports are having to innovate to squeeze more money out.

We’re up to 23 matches now and that isn’t increasing.

19 clubs but that’s not an extra game - 20 clubs is miles off.

A weekend in October with three games (six states) would be a ratings bonanza and the AFL will absolutely pull that lever at some point.

 

[Xtreme]

I'd love it to return
But I doubt its anything but a thought bubble right now.

AFL is reactive instead of innovative. AFLX, Gather round, night grand finals are just concepts that are far better done in other sports. The AFL couldn't find their way out of a hedge maze.

 

[GC2015]

It will happen at some point soon, just a matter of when.

The AFL will 100% give it a go.

The days of sports broadcast rights automatically going up and up and up are gone. Sports are having to innovate to squeeze more money out.

Finding a way to increase the broadcasting rights deal could very well be the sole reason that an Origin/All Star game does happen. Adding say four more games of medium-high interest to the broadcasting deal would look very appetising for the broadcasters. We know a Victoria v South Australia/Western Australia fixture would draw in a big TV audience (at least the first time) and that can be used to broker a bigger deal. The same can be said about a 10-team finals series when Tasmania enter the league.

It's a matter of when, not if.

 

[Pistol Night]

Tassie V The Rest. They cant join the AFL until they win one

 

[The 747]

Do you think he actually wants to do it, or more of a nice sound bite

They might - Bunk Moreland post explains why. More content.

But I just don't see how it would work beyond a one off, especially since the AFL tends to make decisions without thinking them through.

 

[Teen Wolf]

We’re up to 23 matches now and that isn’t increasing.

It is absolutely going to increase. Either when Tasmania joins, or possibly sooner.

Can't have an odd number of games with an odd number of teams (mathematically impossible). AFL aren't getting rid of Gather Round. And clubs aren't giving up their 11 home games. So that means we're going to 24 (which the AFLPA have already conceded), and makes it even harder to squeeze in rep footy.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

They might - Bunk Moreland post explains why. More content.

But I just don't see how it would work beyond a one off, especially since the AFL tends to make decisions without thinking them through.

I just feel that it makes for a nice sound bite, then do nothing with it, who cares

 

[Cleavy]

It will happen at some point soon, just a matter of when.

The AFL will 100% give it a go.

The days of sports broadcast rights automatically going up and up and up are gone. Sports are having to innovate to squeeze more money out.

We’re up to 23 matches now and that isn’t increasing.

19 clubs but that’s not an extra game - 20 clubs is miles off.

A weekend in October with three games (six states) would be a ratings bonanza and the AFL will absolutely pull that lever at some point.

but the tv rights being split up further is a possibility to extract more coin?

 

[Rich01]

Now that this is officially on the cards and may actually happen, I'm starting to dream about what a future Maroons team may look like. Harris Andrews, Eric Hipwood, Will Ashcroft, Jed Walter etc. Could be a very strong state team in the next five years.

Let’s get real though.
SOO will just expose the poor grass roots programs of non vic states.

Given the chance to pick from the entire playing list, Victoria will pants any state side from now for a decade to come.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Dillon just wants to open up another market for tabcorp.

 

[GC2015]

Let’s get real though.
SOO will just expose the poor grass roots programs of non vic states.

Given the chance to pick from the entire playing list, Victoria will pants any state side from now for a decade to come.

I'd say it depends on who they play. Scheduling a Queensland v Victoria match in 2025 would be suicide for the concept but Queensland vs Tasmania has the potential to be very close/entertaining. Western Australia is probably best placed to take on the Vics and if you play it in WA then it's probably an even closer game.

This is why you'd probably need a tiered competition that ensures no state plays a team that is well out of their league. If the grassroots talent continues to improve in NSW and QLD then maybe those states work their way up the tiers to potentially play a team like Victoria one day, but they're clearly not there right now.

 

[screech]

3 round Knock out Comp

8 teams

New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
Australian Capital Territory

Round One - Before Round 1 - 4 games
Semi Final - Mid Season Bye - 2 games
Final - Pre Finals Bye - 1 game

Teams seeded from previous State of Origin Series

1st v 8th , 2nd v 7th, 3rd v 6th , 4th v 5th

However it will al fall apart due to teams not allowing players to be available. Also ACT will almost certainly lose in the 1st round every year.

Like this, but with an FA Cup style draw

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

The boss says he likes it, but the clubs won’t touch it.

SA wants to play the Vics, not WA or the Allies.

WA wants to play the Vics, not Sa or the Allies.

The AFL is a victim of its own success, there are too many states for a one off series.

Worst case scenario would be an East v West plastic compromise.

 

[Rich01]

I'd say it depends on who they play. Scheduling a Queensland v Victoria match in 2025 would be suicide for the concept but Queensland vs Tasmania has the potential to be very close/entertaining. Western Australia is probably best placed to take on the Vics and if you play it in WA then it's probably an even closer game.

This is why you'd probably need a tiered competition that ensures no state plays a team that is well out of their league. If the grassroots talent continues to improve in NSW and QLD then maybe those states work their way up the tiers to potentially play a team like Victoria one day, but they're clearly not there right now.

The talent isn’t close.
Look at the last draft class.
WA is well behind in grass roots.
NSW has a couple and QLD has a handful of gems but lack numbers.

The AFL need to be working harder on non Vic pathways for younger talent to come through, and it seems they may have forgone SA and WA in recent years to help get the franchise clubs some home grown talent.

 

[Travis was a Demon]

These views are from an AFL fan growing up in Brisbane. It should be up there with the finals series for importance if done right. As someone else said QLD winning is right up there with your club side winning the premiership. If fans don’t feel that way it hasn’t been done right.

Has to be States only and no allies or vic metro etc. Nt with qld. Act with nsw can work tho.

Those worried about injuries need to harden up. Sure, games need to be kept at a minimum so not to derail the season. I suggest 2 per state. NRL obviously does 3. I’ll take the risk of injury given the benefit of having your players compete at the highest level every day of the week. They will be much better players for it.

So given above I think best format is 6 teams with 2 divs and promotion/relegation from year to year. First year has WA/SA/VIC with QLD/NSW/TAS. Each state playing 1 home and 1 away game each year. That is 6 games with every city getting 1 blockbuster. QLD v NSW at the Gabba would be massive!

Year 2 best Div 2 switches with worst Div 1 and then do the same thing. That Div 2 title would be something to play for. Get your chance next year to have a crack at the Vics! Probably get spanked but so what. The build up would be immense.

Over time this format would create some unbelievable rivalries, matches, periods of over/under performance by states (like imagine the lols if VIC fell into div2 for a year). It could be bigger than NRL SOO which I find one of the best competitions in the world for a sport I don’t even watch much week to week. It’s embarrassing the AFL can’t make something work.