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The AFL has organised State of Origin games between the three heartland states over the next three pre-seasons, scheduling two of the three games in Perth, one in Adelaide and none in Melbourne.
While Victoria will not host an AFL state of origin game at either the MCG or Marvel Stadium, the Big V will feature both in 2028 in Adelaide and 2029 in Perth, an AFL source confirmed.
The next state of origin clash will feature Western Australia and South Australia in Perth, with the date likely to be either February 20 or February 27 next year, later than this year’s WA v Victoria “trial” state of origin game on February 14.
Zak Butters and Tom Barrass get up close and personal in February.Getty Images
The state of origin three-year plan, to be announced on Monday at Optus Stadium by AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon and WA premier Roger Cook, will be as follows:
1. WA v SA in Perth (Optus Stadium), in late February 2027. Date to be confirmed, expected to be either February 20 or 27.
2. SA v Victoria in Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) during February 2028.
3. WA v Victoria in Perth (Optus Stadium), during February 2029.
The dates are yet to be locked in for all three games.
The Big V in full swing.AFL Photos
There will be a subsequent announced in Adelaide by South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas – who has been a driving force behind establishing the AFL’s Gather Round in that state – and AFL chief operating officer Tom Harley.
AFL chief executive Dillon has made the re-introduction of state of origin one of his fixturing priorities, the league having abandoned the State of Origin concept (last played in 2008 for the 150th anniversary of Australian football) that the league created in 1977.
This year’s State of Origin game, in which Victoria defeated WA in an entertaining, high standard tussle, was a sell out in Perth and reached 1.98 million viewers on Seven and Seven Plus, with an average TV audience of 843,000 – enough for the AFL to continue with the concept and commit to it for three further years.
It is too early to say whether Melbourne would host a state of origin game after the three-year series. The AFL has struck deals with the WA and SA governments.
Rugby league adopted “origin” in 1980 and over time turned NSW v Queensland into that code’s biggest attraction, while the concept faced resistance from clubs in the AFL during the 1990s, in part due to their wish to protect their players from injury.
Victorian coach Chris Scott with his Geelong/Victorian players (from left) Patrick Dangerfield, Max Holmes, Tom Stewart and Bailey Smith.AFL Photos
But support from star players for the re-introduction of state of origin has been strong, as premier players Nick Daicos, Marcus Bontempelli, Zak Butters, Max Gawn, Toby Greene, Bailey Smith, Matt Rowell, Caleb Serong, Hugh McCluggage, Patrick Dangerfield, Noah Anderson, Sam Darcy, Ed Richards, Max Holmes, Jacob Weitering and Zach Merrett took the field (all for Victoria) in February, opposed to WA’s guns Patrick Cripps, Kysaiah Pickett, Luke Jackson, Chad Warner, Shai Bolton, Charlie Cameron, Jesse Hogan and Tim English.
Senior coaches also backed the state game. Geelong’s Chris Scott was Victorian coach, supported by Hawk counterpart Sam Mitchell with WA coached by Dean Cox (Sydney) and assisted by Justin Longmuir (Fremantle).
Carlton’s Weitering suffered an injury (chest and fractured rib) in the Perth game, as did Gold Coast gun and Brownlow medallist Rowell (broken finger), who subsequently had surgery.
Overall, the players were enthusiastic about the experience of playing with and against their elite peers.
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Jake Niall is a Walkley award-winning sports journalist and chief AFL writer for The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners