State v State. Mate v Mate.<\/p>\n
Fremantle\u2019s multi-position player Luke Jackson has represented his country as a junior basketballer, played in an AFL premiership with Melbourne.<\/p>\n
And now he is on the cusp of living his State-of-Origin dream.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old is one of three Dockers selected in the WA squad for the sold-out February 14 AFL Origin clash against Victoria at Optus Stadium, alongside Shai Bolton and Jordan Clark.<\/p>\n
Fremantle teammate Caleb Serong will also play AFL Origin, but as a Victorian players, with fellow midfielder Andrew Brayshaw a strong chance to be added to the squad next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll probably ruffle some feathers in there (Serong) but it\u2019ll be good to play against him, having played with him for so long,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been a little bit of banter. I\u2019m just looking forward to matching it with the best in the comp. I think it\u2019s great how the AFL has brought it back in and hopefully it can stay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jackson is expected to play as an inside-midfielder and back-up to ruck Darcy Cameron, with Tim English another option yet to be named in the squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s the best ruck in the competition and it\u2019s just another opportunity to go match up against the best. There\u2019s nothing better than having a hit out like that (in the pre-season) given the season the comes after it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenge of going up against some of the best players in the company will only help my game, and I\u2019ll be able to take a lot of learnings out of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019ll be a great game just to play anywhere. Even on the bench.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t wait. I don\u2019t know what to expect. I don\u2019t know it will be like, if it will be a hard start but I\u2019m looking forward to play with guys like Crippa (Patrick Cripps) and all the stars of the comp.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jackson was born in 2001, two years after the last State-of-Origin match was played – and nine years after WA took on the Big V for the last time in 1992.<\/p>\n
Now he is an integral part of the revival.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like seeing YouTube clips of it. They went pretty hard back then, so hopefully it\u2019s pretty similar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Carlton superstar Patrick Cripps will captain WA with Western Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli selected to lead Victoria.<\/p>\n
WA will be coached by Sydney mentor and West Coast premiership great Dean Cox, who told The West Australian he would pay the Big V midfield due respect but it won\u2019t stop him leaning on his team\u2019s own strengths, signalling Jackson would be a key weapon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey (Victoria) have talent across all the lines, but when you pin it up against WA and some of the best games of Chad Warner, Kozzie (Kysaiah) Pickett, Patrick Cripps and Luke Jackson, it\u2019s just as good,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n
The game will be televised on Channel 7 with Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw to call the play-by-play commentary, joined by Seven expert commentators Kane Cornes, Luke Hodge and Abbey Holmes.<\/p>\n
West Coast legend Nic Naitanui will provide insight from the boundary.<\/p>\n
Get a FREE WA AAMI AFL Origin Guernsey worth RRP $130 when you sign up for a 12-month subscription to thewest.com.au<\/p>\n
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