Jon Ralph: State of Origin fun, but not ready to be rolled out on an annual basis

It was the perfect hit-and-giggle contest for the perfect cause. But, did the return of representative football do enough to justify more State of Origin? HAVE YOUR SAY.

Jon Ralph

4 min read

February 29, 2020 - 12:01PM

Scott Pendlebury was a Rolls Royce for the Vics. Picture: Getty Images

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The greatest collection of talent the AFL could assemble was presented with a challenge that, on face value, seemed impossible to meet.

Raise millions for charity, showcase the perfect blend of attack and dogged defence and, while you are at it, hold the future of State-of-Origin in your hands.

No pressure, mind you, but if you stuff it up the great Teddy Whitten will be rolling in his grave.

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Scott Pendlebury was a Rolls Royce for the Vics. Picture: Getty Images

What they came up with was the ultimate AFL sugar rush, football’s version of a massive showgrounds dose of fairy floss.

This was the kind of fantasy football we dream about during those midwinter defensive struggles ruined by the defensive coaching orthodoxy that currently prevails.

Coast-to-coast goals, megastars waxing with laces-out passes, skills to die for and just enough contact to elevate it above the level of the much-maligned AFLX.

Best-afield Dustin Martin did what he does so well — captivate on a weekly basis — as both teams did their best to entertain in an eventual avalanche that put Victoria 46 points to the good.

And yet, despite the sold-out crowd (a spectacular 51,052), the Mexican wave that churned around Marvel Stadium midway through the third term told a decisive tale.

Perhaps, like those sweet treats, this is something to be savoured every so often, a guilty pleasure definitely not ready to be rolled out on an annual basis.

The 50-plus players clearly had a ball as they found their own balance of high-flying antics with the kind of just-there physicality that meant every one of them seemed to emerge unscathed.

In the ABC commentary box Mick Malthouse lashed the contest as “mickey mouse stuff in terms of the intensity”.

That seems overly harsh, and yet in truth if there was plenty to like about this contest it wasn’t something to fall head-over-heels in love with.

The match-ups were dripping with potential early.

Across the ground you could spot Lachie Whitfield versus Eddie Betts, Dustin Martin versus Brad Shepperd, Harris Andrews versus Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt against Darcy Moore.

Early on as Tom Hawkins hit up Jack Riewoldt without the Tigers star breaking stride and the ball barely hit the ground the fear was that this would be the AFL’s version of AFLX – bruise free football.

But the players overwhelmingly supported the concept, speaking on Fox Footy after the match.

Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt said for him Origin was a “a definite yes”.

“Obviously, with the bushfire tragedy, the game was involved around that, but I don’t see a concept that can’t go forward that maybe we can just pick a charity every year and do it for that reason,” Riewoldt said.

“I would obviously love to play for Tasmania at some stage.

“But the All Stars is fantastic and just the relationships we’ve made.

“You have only got to look in this room here to see people chat from all different clubs. They put their colours down for the weekend to play for a great cause.”

Adam Saad provided run for the Vics. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli said he “loved it”.

“I think the boys did. It seemed like a great spectacle,” Bontempelli said.

“So hopefully the people enjoyed it and obviously we raised a fair bit of money for people who needed it.”

Geelong defender Marc Blicavs, his GWS counterpart Nick Haynes and speedy forward Papley all said they wanted to bring the concept back next year.

The All Stars roared out to an early three-goal lead but Trent Cotchin and Patrick Dangerfield quickly combined to save a contest that seemed to be going nowhere.

Cotchin wrested the ball from the centre square and had three tough touches in a passage of play, with Dangerfield then executing a perfect chase-down tackle on Lachie Neale as the ball rebounded.

It was a call to arms for the Big V, with Martin quickly joining the party with more of his big game heroics as he scored at will and gave off goals just as easily.

All Stars half backs Callum Mills and Jason Johannisen feasted on Victorian turnovers early as John Longmire’s indigenous boys in Michael Walters, Brad Hill, Eddie Betts and Charlie Cameron ran amok.

Josh Kelly booted four goals for Victoria. Picture: AAP

Marcus Bontempelli produced some highlight reel plays. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Confoundingly, the All Stars stalled from 30 points up and never found the motivation or composure to get going again.

Even as the Victorian side poured on 11 straight goals it came with a smattering of applause from a crowd that was rapidly thinning out instead of raucous barracking from fans on the edge of their seat.

That is the greatest impediment to playing this game yearly or semi-regularly.

Not one All Star will go home this weekend feeling they had any skin in the game or consequences about the nature of the loss.

Victoria’s players wouldn’t have departed the stadium shamed by defeat to the All Stars with Whitten’s words ringing in their ears, and no one truly cheers for the All Stars like they might with their own tribal club loyalties.

Instead Martin’s performance was a mouth-watering prelude to the season ahead, while Tom Papley’s five goals had Blues fans wondering what might have been had he landed at Ikon Park.

This was the perfect hit-and-giggle contest for the perfect cause in Bushfire relief.

Perhaps only Victoria versus South Australian at a sold-out MCG is enough to really set pulses races if we are to breathe life into State-of-Origin once more.