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<\/p>\nSydney coach Dean Cox says there\u2019s no greater honour in football than being able to represent where you came from, following his appointment as WA coach for next year\u2019s State of Origin clash against Victoria.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Dampier product will coach the side after just one season as senior coach, after taking over from John Longmire at Sydney last year. He\u2019ll go up against Geelong premiership coach Chris Scott, who was named Victoria\u2019s coach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
State of Origin returns after a 26-year hiatus, with it scheduled to be played in February next year at Optus Stadium, spurred on by the success of the Indigenous All Stars game that preceded the 2025 season.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking to\u00a0SportFM, Cox says he is humbled to be named WA coach and is looking forward to getting started.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a proud West Australian, I\u2019ve watched a lot of State of Origin games when I was young and idolised a lot of those players towards the end of my teen years,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I got to represent the West Coast Eagles and play alongside a few of them who have represented the state. I couldn\u2019t do it at under-18s level, and I couldn\u2019t do it as a footballer, so it\u2019s great to be doing it as a coach.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Several names have been thrown around for possible inclusions in the WA side, with the AFL confirming players would be selected based on the location of the club they were drafted from.<\/p>\n
It is heavily speculated that Carlton captain and dual Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, originally from Northampton, is a frontrunner to captain the Western Australian side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, he says his primary focus is getting the best talent available to represent the side, injuries and pre-season workload\u00a0management permitting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t speak a lot to other clubs, certainly with the players over (at Sydney), but our players are really open to it. I think that\u2019s, that is the first thing we need to make sure that we can get the best talent available,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWith that being ticked off by the football clubs, but I think once it does get into motion and the wheels start turning, then the players will jump on board, and they\u2019d love to be a part of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey get to play against the best, with the best, and represent where they\u2019re from, which there\u2019s no greater thing as a football team.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With West Australian players dispersed around the country, Cox has revealed some of the players he has an eye on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got to have a really good look at the list, but the experience of Cripps is obviously probably one of the high points,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ability to coach some key forwards, in Aaron Naughton and Jesse Hogan, some key backs, Tom Barrass and Sam Taylor and running halfbacks in Jordan Clark.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe get Luke Jackson roaming around where he wants to roam and whether he\u2019s on ball, whether by ruck and forward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s some obviously unbelievable talent, and it\u2019s just going to be great to get them the gel together and play a really exciting brand of footy with plenty of energy that can please and make the WA faithful proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
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