David Harding
Vicious Intent
Kristy lee
Superstar Scott Sandars
Cain LynchAFL should re-consider State of Origin Stance
May 16th 2013 03:28
Last weekend a few state leagues will pause for State of Origin clashes, a concept the AFL has decided it no longer wants. Some AFL players have wanted to see the return of the State of Origin, or at least a type of state of origin that will be a part of an All-Star weekend.
The AFL had considered bringing the concept back to replace the Pre-Season competition but since then they have announced that there will be no return of the State of Origin.
State of origin football was very much at its peak in 1990. The VFL, aggressively determined to establish itself as a genuinely national concern, with expansion into South Australia at the earliest possible opportunity top of its short term priority list, re-named itself the Australian Football League, and arranged what can only be regarded as a propaganda mission for the Victorian state of origin team, with matches in Sydney, Perth and Hobart.
Traditionally acknowledged as one of football's four major states, Tasmania was dealt an embarrassing body blow in 1988 when it was unceremoniously excluded from section one of that year's bicentennial interstate carnival in Adelaide
The first and only time in football history, the 1990 interstate match between Tasmania and Victoria represented a fair and realistic test of strength between the respective teams, and from the Tasmanian perspective in particular its importance was hard to over-stress.
Tasmania's historic win in front of over 18 thousand people at North Hobart was remember 20 years on when the team were inducted into the Hall of Fame, 30 years on from this match the only way we can see State of Origin is either at local level or Relive the Rivalry Challenge.
When Ted Whitten sadly passed away in 1995 the slow decline of the State of Origin started, teams started to fear for their players as injuries piled up. But players have said they are interested in playing for their states, clubs not so much.
As the State of Origin declined the AFL slowly stopped playing each state, the Allies were born, which made it the Victorians vs the rest of the country. Players were no longer playing for their state, just a letter A.
A once-off AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match between a Victorian state of origin side and the Dream Team representing the other states, was staged on 10 May 2008 to celebrate 150 years of Australian Football. With a crowd of 69,294 in attendance. Victoria won the match by 17 points, 21.11 (137) to 18.12 (120).
The crowd showed that the fans were still interested in seeing the State of Origin, but it seems that State of Origin will only ever be in our memories.
But this week State Pride's on the line in the local football as Tasmania's TSL will battle NEAFL Northern Division (QLD and NT) at Skoda Stadium, while Victoria and WA will battle the NEAFL.
Tasmania will hope to finally get some revenge as they were humiliated last season by Victoria at Belleive Oval. Maybe one day we will see the AFL bringing back the State of Origin even if it's just for one day.
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