Adam Bailey
DeanoHarmoAFL State of Origin - Why bother?
June 5th 2007 02:52
Category: No Category
Speculation continues to mount that the AFL are planning to hold a one-off State of Origin series next year, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the game. Talk of the timing and nature of the series, whether a one-off game or a carnival tournament, is still being determined.
There's a very good financial reason why the AFL are keen to hold an Origin game next year. In 2008, Easter is exceptionally early, on 23rd March. Under the normal timing sequence, the Easter weekend would be the weekend between the pre-season cup and the season opener - but even though the AFL don't play on Good Friday, there are good financial reasons why they would want to play on the Easter weekend.
There's already a split round in the system, and so to start at Easter and still have the Grand Final on the last Saturday in September, there's a spare weekend in the schedule. So the speculation is that, rather than have a second split round, there could be State of Origin played for the first time since 1999.
But would it work? In the late 1990s, before Origin was cancelled, the matches were badly supported. Clubs were openly hostile to their players being selected in Origin games, for fear of picking up injuries that would keep them out of club games. Players would contract mystery "injuries" in the lead-up to the games, forcing them out and making Origin squads staffed by second-rate players. The fans responded by staying away, TV ratings were poor and the concept fizzled out.
State of Origin works in rugby league, and is the pinnacle of the game. But in AFL, the club competition will always be number 1; and no player or supporter would ever view State of Origin as being more important than a club game. The thought of players sitting out of a round of club football to attend a training camp, which happens three times a year in the NRL, would be laughed out of the AFL.
Would the AFL implement rules to force players to play, or suspending them from club games if they pull out? That idea has been floated by Andrew Demetriou, but the fact it has even been suggested shows a problem with the Origin concept - if players don't want to play, if they don't support the concept, why should they be forced to? Haven't the AFL already admitted that Origin isn't what the players want?
We already have a national competition - one in which every state except Tasmania has a team; and Victoria having many teams. Why do we need another national competition? And what of the other states - if Victoria plays South Australia, what happens to Western Australia? Do they get left out, or do they play a mickey-mouse outfit like the Allies?
After a 9-year absence, there may be some novelty value in playing a game in 2008. But it could only ever be a one-off - beyond that, the reasons that saw Origin competition fizzle out and die in the 1990s will inevitably return.
There's a very good financial reason why the AFL are keen to hold an Origin game next year. In 2008, Easter is exceptionally early, on 23rd March. Under the normal timing sequence, the Easter weekend would be the weekend between the pre-season cup and the season opener - but even though the AFL don't play on Good Friday, there are good financial reasons why they would want to play on the Easter weekend.
But would it work? In the late 1990s, before Origin was cancelled, the matches were badly supported. Clubs were openly hostile to their players being selected in Origin games, for fear of picking up injuries that would keep them out of club games. Players would contract mystery "injuries" in the lead-up to the games, forcing them out and making Origin squads staffed by second-rate players. The fans responded by staying away, TV ratings were poor and the concept fizzled out.
State of Origin works in rugby league, and is the pinnacle of the game. But in AFL, the club competition will always be number 1; and no player or supporter would ever view State of Origin as being more important than a club game. The thought of players sitting out of a round of club football to attend a training camp, which happens three times a year in the NRL, would be laughed out of the AFL.
We already have a national competition - one in which every state except Tasmania has a team; and Victoria having many teams. Why do we need another national competition? And what of the other states - if Victoria plays South Australia, what happens to Western Australia? Do they get left out, or do they play a mickey-mouse outfit like the Allies?
After a 9-year absence, there may be some novelty value in playing a game in 2008. But it could only ever be a one-off - beyond that, the reasons that saw Origin competition fizzle out and die in the 1990s will inevitably return.
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