State of Origin will NEVER work for AFL

[Mitchell Madness]

a lot of people keep fanticising about state of origin in the AFL, quite simply, it will never work!

in the beginning of state of origin/state football carnivals, it was each state league against each other. VFL, SANFL, WAFL etc...

when the leagueexpanded and became the AFL, it lost this element.

Previously, the likes of Dunstall and Platten represented Victoria, despite the fact that Platten is from South Aust, and Dunstall from QLD.

There was also players that represented multiple states.


With players coming from more then the "big 3" states, The league tried the allies, but the passion wasnt there, and in turn, gave the concept away.

Origin works in the NRL because the players only come from QLD or NSW, only a handful come from outside those states.



an All-star game works in the NBA due to the conference system, the same as the NFL, which divides the teams up evenly.


time to give up on the idea, the AFL can not divide it evenly, and in turn has it right.


leave it for the state leagues to do battle. even advertise it as state of origin (as the current state league concept IS the same as it was for the old VFL)

 

[kid_a]

a lot of people keep fanticising about state of origin in the AFL, quite simply, it will never work!

in the beginning of state of origin/state football carnivals, it was each state league against each other. VFL, SANFL, WAFL etc...

when the leagueexpanded and became the AFL, it lost this element.

Previously, the likes of Dunstall and Platten represented Victoria, despite the fact that Platten is from South Aust, and Dunstall from QLD.

There was also players that represented multiple states.


With players coming from more then the "big 3" states, The league tried the allies, but the passion wasnt there, and in turn, gave the concept away.

Origin works in the NRL because the players only come from QLD or NSW, only a handful come from outside those states.



an All-star game works in the NBA due to the conference system, the same as the NFL, which divides the teams up evenly.


time to give up on the idea, the AFL can not divide it evenly, and in turn has it right.


leave it for the state leagues to do battle. even advertise it as state of origin (as the current state league concept IS the same as it was for the old VFL)

that was before the concept of SOO, that was just t each league playing each other

 

[Mitchell Madness]

that was before the concept of SOO, that was just t each league playing each other

that WAS state of origin, when they changed it in the 90's, crowds dropped off (20k at the G for a game)

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

When did Platten play for Victoria? I know he played 15 State of Origin Games for South Australia.

The problem with the SOO concept in AFL is that the game has expanded to 5 states with at least 2 teams in each now.

However the NRL has a lot of NZ test players in it, and they are not eligible to play SOO, so I have no issue with not everybody being represented.

Vic vs SA is the big clash and will always have a level of parochialism and interest but WA might be entitled to feel miffed if they never get a look in as a historical AFL state. Maybe the 3 states should rotate the clash during future mid season breaks.

SA vs Vic
Vic vs WA
WA vs SA

So each state site only plays 2 out of every 3 years.

I don't see an issue with players not getting their break. Hell, NRL SOO players often back up a few days later without the luxury of a bye or get rested from their club sides. Our guys would only have to play a week later and miss the bye, and at most a club might have half a dozen player involved in the clash.

 

[mxett]

I agree with the OP.

east vs west, or other manufactured rivalries, would not have the same territorial passion as supporting the champions of your state.

Let's face it, the NRL are on a winner with their current SOO set up. But as stated, it only works because their expansion across Australia is so limited.

I for one would rather a much more comprehensive and national league than one limited to 2 states for the sake of a better SOO involving 3 ( and often 2 with a dead rubber) decent games.

 

[Pj.Rj.Hj]

Vic vs SA is the big clash and will always have a level of parochialism and interest but WA might be entitled to feel miffed if they never get a look in as a historical AFL state. Maybe the 3 states should rotate the clash during future mid season breaks.

SA vs Vic
Vic vs WA
WA vs SA

"Might feel miffed"? State of Origin was a West Australian concept. SA vs Vic only lingers in the memory fresher because WA feel away earlier because of the West Coast Eagles and their attitude to releasing players for WA.The current WA team is in no way a third wheel to SA and VIc.

If SoO ever went ahead again I say SA and WA play out for the winner to play Victoria the following year. It would give more meaning and menace to the WA vs SA class and I'm sure the Vics would be intruiged to watch some representive football that actually means something (and of course whom they may be playing) just like many acroos Australia are happy to watch the RL SoO even though it's onle NSW vs Qld.

 

[Kram]

Agree with the OP completely. Our current national competition is so strong that we don't need it. We have big games with big crowds every week. Rugby League need something else because their premiership season is so shit and poorly supported in comparison to the AFL.

The concept is a thing of the past that is over, finished, dead. Still wont stop someone starting another 'Bring back SOO!!' thread in a fortnight though...

 

[Admiral Byng]

I agree with the others - it needs two teams only to really make it work.

Vics v the Rest would be one option, another might be A-Ks v L-Zs. But I don't think any option would really capture the public imagination.

 

[Woodson]

Our current national competition is so strong that we don't need it. We have big games with big crowds every week. Rugby League need something else because their premiership season is so shit and poorly supported in comparison to the AFL.

The concept is a thing of the past that is over, finished, dead. Still wont stop someone starting another 'Bring back SOO!!' thread in a fortnight though...

I agree. Besides, if people (strictly AFL fans) with open minds can embrace Rugby League, it's a win/win for everyone. If you can't stomach/appreciate the brute physical collisions from SOO, no point complaining about about AFL SOO being dead coz the AFL mentality is so 'club football' precious.

 

[Roddy]

Agreed. As far as SOO is concerned, football is a victim of its own success and vastly superior national presence. There's no format that could possibly work, with many players coming from all states. Thugby league has 3 big games a year that actually draw the Sydney (and to a lesser extent Brisbane) theater-goers out, and then it's done, and they return to the drudgery of their regular season, poor crowds etc etc. Football has SO many great rivalries within it's regular season, that draw massive crowds right throughout the entire season. And 2 more have recently been created, which will become massive in the years to come. We don't actually need SOO.

 

[deck]

The reason SOO works so well for the NRL is lack of crowds and support at club level. Players want to play to experience something they don't get outside of a grand final or big finals clash. It's all about the atmosphere and thats what helps keep the fans coming back.

The AFL version didn't really offer anything we don't already get regularly during the season.

 

[Giants FC]

State of Origin died with Ted Whitten. There just wasn't any point in playing them any more after he passed away.

 

[telsor]

2 problems.

1. Clubs/coaches hate it.

2. Victoria produces ~50% of AFL players. Assuming the talent follows similar lines, the big V would usually win against anything other than a combined team (which would have little interest).

 

[Glorious couch life]

I think we should divide the players by blood type. The -'s vs +'s. The AFL could even promote it as "The Bloodbath", and set up mobile Red Cross blood banks around the ground. Every person who gives blood before the game gets free entry. Donate twice and get a free wristband that allows free upgrades to full strength beer.
Everybody will be legless after one beer on account of giving blood. This will make for great television as half sucked, half pissed fans pass out in the aisles on the way back from the bar.

Seriously, I can't believe people still bring up this origin guff. It's been tried, retried, altered and promoted to death. It doesn't work for our code, so why bother with it? Furthermore, rugby league is withering on the vine. Why would we attempt to emulate something of theirs when our brand of footy is, simply so much better?

 

[bdiddy10304]

Whilst it wasn't great to see Lenny Hayes do his knee, at least he did whilst playing for St Kilda. I would be ABSOLUTELY FILTHY if one our key players suffered a long term injury during a 'rep' game

 

[HBF]

It's a thing of the past.
Our clubs don't want it, and the players certainly don't want it.

At the end of the day, the major difference between the NRL and the AFL in relation to SOO is that every junior rugby league playerdreams of pulling on a NSW or QLD jumper, whereas every junior AFL player grows up dreaming of winning a premiership for the club.

 

[Furn]

of course it will never work

Rugby League is a game played seriously in 2 states

AFl is a national game played all across the country.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

I know it won't work, but it's always good to dream

 

[Fire Storm]

Whilst it wasn't great to see Lenny Hayes do his knee, at least he did whilst playing for St Kilda. I would be ABSOLUTELY FILTHY if one our key players suffered a long term injury during a 'rep' game

Being a Storm fan, I'd much rather see Billy Slater injure his knee playing Origin then for the Storm.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

I agree. Besides, if people (strictly AFL fans) with open minds can embrace Rugby League, it's a win/win for everyone. If you can't stomach/appreciate the brute physical collisions from SOO, no point complaining about about AFL SOO being dead coz the AFL mentality is so 'club football' precious.

To be fair, at the elite level, club footy (with the main goal a premiership) is all we have.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

I'll paste over what I said in another thread:

The AFL is rightly focused on expanding the sport in NSW and QLD. Aside from both these states not being strong enough to field origin teams having five states playing origin would be a convoluted mess. Having only VIC, WA and SA would look terrible from a national perspective and I can't see the rest getting up for 'the Allies'. Even Victoria vs. the 'Dream Team' looks bad.

State of origin works well in rugby league because that sport's supporter base (and player base*) outside those two states is pretty damn limited. And of course only having two states makes it far easier to organise.

*Before someone chimes up about all the New Zealanders in the NRL I'm talking about the Australian player base.

 

[Paul Kersey]

Don't know about the John Platten revisionism - he never played for Victoria. Anyhow, I used to enjoy State of Origin and would like it back.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

I'll paste over what I said in another thread:

The AFL is rightly focused on expanding the sport in NSW and QLD. Aside from both these states not being strong enough to field origin teams having five states playing origin would be a convoluted mess. Having only VIC, WA and SA would look terrible from a national perspective and I can't see the rest getting up for 'the Allies'. Even Victoria vs. the 'Dream Team' looks bad.

State of origin works well in rugby league because that sport's supporter base (and player base*) outside those two states is pretty damn limited. And of course only having two states makes it far easier to organise.

*Before someone chimes up about all the New Zealanders in the NRL I'm talking about the Australian player base.

Dream team is a hallow concept. Doesn't reflect on the potential peformance of state sides in the slightest.

Im pretty confident that WA is producing perhaps not the volume of footballers but developing more quality footballers per capita than Victoria over the last five drafts.

Paper teams mean nothing, do unless we see SOO it's safe to assume nothing.

 

[Ochre]

Seperate Victoria into Vic Metro and Vic Country and they can play against WA and SA each year

 

[bdiddy10304]

Being a Storm fan, I'd much rather see Billy Slater injure his knee playing Origin then for the Storm.

...and have it cost Storm a premiership!!!!!! You can't be serious??