Carlton\u2019s Jacob Weitering in the first quarter<\/a>. But unfortunately, like it or not, injuries are still going to happen \u2013 even in Origin. <\/p>\nSimply, no matter how serious or not Weitering\u2019s injury ends up being, it should not deter the league\u2019s powerbrokers from making Origin an annual feature.<\/p>\n
As Geelong star Tom Stewart told foxfooty.com.au post-match: \u201cUnfortunately, our game is violent \u2013 it\u2019s a part of what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cIt really almost solidified the way we were going about it; no one was holding back. Everyone was having a red-hot crack.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron strikes as Origin spirit ignites | 01:09<\/p>\n
And the naysayers will be quiet tonight. Because despite it being February and not representing their AFL clubs, there were too many moments to count that exemplified just how seriously the players took the cause.<\/p>\n
From hard hits to hard-ball gets to gut-busting runs up and down the ground, it was right there for all to see. <\/p>\n
Victorian star Bailey Smith revealed that while players were told they were \u201conly meant to play 70 per cent\u201d on Saturday night due to minutes restrictions, \u201cit was a hard 70 per cent\u201d \u2013 adding he and his teammates were peeved by talk of players not going their hardest. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know why all that talk (happened), that was the one thing that probably pissed us all off during the week,\u201d he said on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously it\u2019s the real deal. When you put the boots on, go out there, there\u2019s no half-arseing it. So, yeah, we did that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Going in, most were of the belief the Sandgropers were comprehensively outmatched all over the field \u2013 yet that they also had to be competitive against the Victorians for more frequent Origin matches to be feasible.<\/p>\n
Well, the hosts, who once trailed by as much as five goals, clawed back to within a goal midway through the final term \u2013 which Fox Footy caller Adam Papalia believed was a landmark launch moment. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the feeling that was within the stadium in that last quarter as WA got it back to within six points,\u201d Papalia said post-match. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat was where you felt that the concept was certainly working and everyone was buying in, and the fans were certainly right behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria and Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli echoed the consensus sentiment post-game. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope this is the start of something,\u201d he said on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe wore that like a badge of honour. We wore our jumpers with pride, and as an opportunity to set this thing up for real, and to last, from a longevity perspective. <\/p>\n
\u201cI understand it went away for a period of time for different reasons, but \u2026 the players want to do this, and the players I think went all in on this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s been conversation around whether Origin is better served as a once-every-three-years event or an annual one, and while Victoria chairman of selectors and Fox Footy analyst Garry Lyon conceded he initially wasn\u2019t sure it could be an annual celebration, he said Saturday night changed his mind. <\/p>\n
\u201cI always thought that probably every second year initially, but I think tonight presents a fantastic case to do exactly that (playing every year),\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u2018GOT TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING\u2019: HOW NEW RULE EXPOSES RUCKS<\/p>\n
Not only did we get a first look at some of the game\u2019s biggest star players on Saturday, we also saw a glimpse of how some of the new rules and tweaks will impact the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
The AFL, led by football operations boss Greg Swann, has introduced seven rule changes for the season, all with the goal of reducing match lengths by about three minutes.<\/p>\n
These include a last disposal rule, shorter kick-in times, new contest laws at the centre ball-up \u2013 it\u2019s weird not writing \u2018centre bounce\u2019 anymore \u2013 and a stricter interpretation around players standing in the protected area.<\/p>\n
The new centre ball-up rules were the most striking during Saturday night\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
Rucks in 2026 are now unable to cross the centre line before engaging with their opposition ruck. This is because Swann and the AFL want to see the jumping rucks return to the game.<\/p>\n
And that was on full display at Optus Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s brought back different types of ruckmen into the game,\u201d four-time premiership Hawk Jason Dunstall told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re going to see clubs throughout the 2026 season perhaps have a couple of ruckmen, given you\u2019ve got the five on the bench now. You need a jumping ruckman, as well as that big bull.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ll see some tandem set-up for a lot of clubs thinking they can get an advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown added: \u201cThis is a great sign for the future of the game and hopefully his trend continues throughout the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria ruck and Melbourne skipper Max Gawn \u2013 an eight-time All-Australian ruck \u2013 said he was getting \u201cheavily pinged at training\u201d recently as he continued to adjust to the new rule.<\/p>\n
Gawn conceded he might have to adjust his rucking style.<\/p>\n
\u201c(WA ruck) Darcy Cameron threw up a few different things, I threw up a few different things. It really was just a test case for us,\u201d Gawn told Fox Footy<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s going to be a lot of jumping (in 2026). I think some of the guys who can jump are really going to excel and some of the older guys, like me, are potentially going to have to come up a different way. There\u2019s a few guys like myself, Jarrod Witts, Reilly O\u2019Brien, Darcy Cameron, Darcy Fort \u2013 some guys who have been around for a while who don\u2019t necessarily jump as high as Tom De Koning. So we\u2019ve got to come up with something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Brown said the quicker kick-in time \u2013 cut from 12 seconds to eight seconds of \u2018reasonable time\u2019 \u201cbenefited Victoria\u201d the most, with the visitors scoring heavily out of their defensive half throughout the night.<\/p>\n
And while not many last disposal rule free kicks were paid on Saturday night, Brown said it was a \u201cgood rule\u201d that \u201chelps speed the game up a little bit\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreg Swann has come in with a mandate to try and trim some game time off, because the game was just getting too long,\u201d Brown told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo keep the game in flow \u2026 When the ball is flowing in our game, for the last 150 years, that\u2019s what the fans want.\u201d<\/p>\n
EJ Whitten Medallist Lachie Ash said the new rule \u201cmakes it clearer for players\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know straight away, for me behind the ball you just set up straight away knowing that it\u2019s a free kick to the opposition,\u201d he told reporters post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes the confusion out of that one a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria coach Chris Scott added: \u201cThe change to the insufficient intent rule just makes it black and white \u2013 even if you\u2019re a bit unlucky it becomes clearer and easier for the umpires. I think that\u2019s a good one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018WHAT WE ALL FEARED\u2019: BLUES STAR IN BRUTAL ORIGIN SOUR NOTE<\/p>\n
But for all the good there was in Origin, it took less than half an hour for the first major injury, with star Carlton defender Jacob Weitering going down heavily in the first quarter. <\/p>\n
Weitering, who has since been hospitalised with rib and shoulder injuries, was crushed under the bodies of Western Australia\u2019s Mitch Georgiades and Victorian teammate Sam Collins after a marking contest at half-forward. <\/p>\n
It was a brutal marking contest which, in itself, encapsulated both sides\u2019 commitment to the cause. <\/p>\n
In immediate reaction on the Fox Footy broadcast, caller Anthony Hudson said what everyone was thinking: \u201cIt\u2019s what we all feared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlton on Saturday night said it\u2019d be able to provide \u201ca further and more accurate update\u201d on Weitering\u2019s condition on Sunday. <\/p>\n
\u201cJacob is continuing to undergo all necessary assessments in hospital as a precaution,\u201d a Blues statement read.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor now, though, we can tell you that he is currently in good spirits and surrounded by family. Sending all the love to our No.23.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria coach Chris Scott later conveyed the severity of the situation in his post-match press conference, saying: \u201cOur understanding is it\u2019s serious enough that you need to be updated on it \u2014 he\u2019s going to miss a period of time, I\u2019d think.\u201d<\/p>\n
Play between the two sides was halted for several minutes while the 28-year-old gun interceptor was tended to by medical staff. <\/p>\n
Weitering was placed in a neck brace while being stretchered off the field, with initial fears of a concussion and possible neck injury. <\/p>\n
However, it was confirmed in the second quarter that Weitering\u2019s shoulder and ribs were the main concerns \u2013 having been hospitalised as a precaution. <\/p>\n
Fox Footy\u2019s Kath Loughnan said boundary-side: \u201cIt was nearly probably 200 kilos falling on him and that left shoulder and his head. So, fingers crossed for Jacob Weitering.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria chairman of selectors and Fox Footy analyst Garry Lyon provided a half-time update, also adding the symbolic nature of the incident. <\/p>\n
\u201cJacob Weitering we hope is going to be OK, he was in the hospital asking about the scores, so I think it\u2019s precautionary, but it puts to rest any notion that these boys weren\u2019t going to go flat-out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The 204-game All-Australian has been a durable commodity for the Blues in recent years, playing 22 or more games in four of the past five seasons. <\/p>\n
Carlton kicks off its 2026 campaign against Richmond at the MCG on March 12.<\/p>\n
STAR\u2019S SHOCK AT MEDAL WIN … AND WHY COACHES FELT HE WAS BEST<\/p>\n
Just two days ago, Giants star Lachie Ash feared he didn\u2019t deserve to be in the Victorian State team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought there might have been a couple in front of me \u2026 I sat there and thought, \u2018I won\u2019t be picked for that\u2019 so I didn\u2019t worry about it much,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n
But on Saturday night, he was awarded the prestigious EJ Whitten Medal for best on ground for the Big V.<\/p>\n
It was a unanimous decision by the Victorian coaches, including Chris Scott, Garry Lyon, Shaun Grigg and Sam Mitchell to name Ash ahead of their star-studded midfield that included an AFL MVP, a Brownlow Medallist and plenty of All Australians\/club best and fairests.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was actually a little bit nervous coming over this week \u2013 whether or not I belonged,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look at the names on the team sheet and they\u2019ve been really good players for a long period of time or they are stars of our competition. Probably doubted myself about whether I was up to it or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here for a reason \u2013 that was part of (Scott\u2019s) message.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether or not I was the best player on ground or not, I really took a lot of confidence out of the whole week. Really proven to myself that I belong here. And I\u2019ll take it back to club level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scott could only laugh as he heard Ash talk about his growing confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t get any better. The Cats are having enough trouble with GWS,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n
Ash replied: \u201cI\u2019ll just use a bit of motivation to prove it\u2019s not just a one-off game. That I\u2019ve gotten better over the summer. And I can go and show that for 25 weeks this year\u201d, to which Scott said: \u201cScary thought\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Victorian coach was adamant Ash belonged alongside the biggest names in the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had Lachie in a group with (Nick) Daicos, (Zak) Butters and (Marcus) Bontempelli,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the end, we thought when the game was really hot and we were really under pressure that Lachie was the most influential.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Lachie is the best running back in the game \u2013 or close enough to it, and I don\u2019t think he felt that coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ash finished his Origin debut with 25 disposals \u2013 nine of those intercepts and seven score involvements, almost 500m gained and seven marks.<\/p>\n
Speaking after his medal win, Ash paid tribute to his parents who were able to take time from their busy orchard picking season to be in the stands in Perth.<\/p>\n
\u201cMum and Dad have been there from day one. Dad\u2019s been pretty big in my footy journey \u2013 he was my sounding board growing up, still is today,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n
\u201cTalking to him this morning like \u2018What do you think? What have you got for me?\u2019 <\/p>\n
\u201cMost mornings of the game we\u2019ll have a chat just around the game and what not.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor them to come over, it was pretty massive for Dad. He\u2019s pretty busy at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018CHANCE I WASN\u2019T GOING TO PLAY\u2019: HOGAN\u2019S INJURY REVEAL<\/p>\n
He was WA\u2019s Graham Moss Medallist for best on ground in AFL\u2019s Origin match, but star Jesse Hogan has revealed he almost didn\u2019t make it onto the field.<\/p>\n
After battling a foot issue that derailed the end of his 2025 season with the Giants, Hogan went under the knife at the end of last year.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t start running until mid-December and only joined full training two weeks ago in the lead up to Saturday\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was probably two or three weeks where there was a chance I probably wasn\u2019t going to play this game to be honest,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy load management stuff is all managed \u2026 we pushed the envelope to get here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite his \u201cpretty limited\u201d lead in, Hogan was WA\u2019s best with a game-high five goals \u2013 including three in a nine-minute final quarter blitz that brought the home side within six points of Victoria.<\/p>\n
The Giants could only laugh at just how well he did perform, after coming in low on confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is actually probably the best game I\u2019ve played at Optus \u2013 and I spent two years playing at Freo!\u201d he smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an interesting path I\u2019ve had \u2013 it\u2019s been well documented.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really started to enjoy my football over in Sydney. I probably had to step away and strip it back to just enjoy football again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just started doing full training two weeks ago and we did match sim quarters \u2013 I actually haven\u2019t touched it once!<\/p>\n
\u201cI came into this game with not a lot of confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cSam Taylor\u2019s had my number!<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ouched it in two and half\/three weeks. I was a bit nervous coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n
But those nerves didn\u2019t show as Hogan led a WA forward line that missed Port\u2019s Mitch Georgiades after half time due to hamstring awareness.<\/p>\n
Hogan finished the Origin match with 13 disposals, nine marks and 5.0.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s clear: Players want more AFL Origin games \u2026 although there was one sour note. Plus the curious…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":479719,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[233553,19102,638,2095,37350,64,63,689,55,639,3423,243747,9203,243748,13120,231419,49774,12923,243740,243736,243746,243742,7483,28259,26521,12099,10145,6278,70518,243751,243745,3231,25882,12181,19087,214531,243741,28961,243739,14016,17290,12097,243749,243738,25890,233503,2041,2067,677,243743,147202,243607,4873,70479,243744,13664,84662,6858,16205,14356,243752,94977,12155,243737,85,72910,50180,7663,19086,12113,2614,243474,243750,4899,3439],"class_list":["post-479718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-aami-community-series-live","tag-adam-papalia","tag-afl","tag-america","tag-anthony-hudson","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-ben-waterworth","tag-brutal-marking-contest","tag-catherine-healey","tag-centre-ball-up-rules","tag-centre-bounce","tag-centre-line","tag-charlie-cameron","tag-chris-scott","tag-consensus-sentiment","tag-contest-laws","tag-curious-glimpse","tag-disposal-rule","tag-final-term","tag-football-operations","tag-four-time-premiership","tag-game-time","tag-garry-lyon","tag-greg-swann","tag-gun-interceptor","tag-hawk-jason-dunstall","tag-insufficient-intent-rule","tag-jack-jovanovski","tag-jarrod-witts","tag-jesse-hogan","tag-kath-loughnan","tag-lachie-ash","tag-landmark-launch-moment","tag-lion-jonathan-brown","tag-longevity-perspective","tag-marcus-bontempelli","tag-marking-contest","tag-max-gawn","tag-medal-winners","tag-minutes-restrictions","tag-mitch-georgiades","tag-neck-brace","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-oceania","tag-once-every-three-years-event","tag-opposition-ruck","tag-possible-neck-injury","tag-post-match-press-conference","tag-real-deal","tag-reducing-match-lengths","tag-reilly-obrien","tag-reporters-post-match","tag-richmond","tag-rule-changes","tag-sam-collins","tag-shorter-kick-in-times","tag-shoulder-injuries","tag-sour-note","tag-spirit-ignites","tag-sports","tag-star-players","tag-statement-read","tag-talking-points","tag-toby-greene","tag-tom-stewart","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-victoria-coach","tag-victorian-star","tag-virginia","tag-western-australia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/479718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=479718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/479718\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/479719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=479718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=479718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=479718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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