Talent-laden South Australia should jump at the chance to reignite State of Origin football | Andrew Capel

There’s only one city in Australia capable of breathing new life into the State of Origin, writes Andrew Capel.

It was music to my ears.

After banging on in this column about the need to reignite State of Origin football, it was refreshing to hear AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon leave the door ajar for its return following the success of this year’s Indigenous All Stars exhibition match.

“There seems to be a bit of a groundswell for it,’ Dillon said when asked about State of Origin, which has been dead in the water for more than a quarter of a century.

“I can’t rule it in and can’t rule it out (for 2026), but it will certainly be a conversation that I’d like to have with the players and the clubs.’’

Last week, the flickering flame escalated into a fire when former Collingwood president and media identity Eddie McGuire said State of Origin was not only back on the AFL’s agenda but was being planned to make a return as early as next year, with games to be held in the pre-season as a build up to Opening Round.

“The thinking is changing within the AFL that they have to do more events and State of Origin is back on,” McGuire told Channel 9.

The last true State of Origin game was in May, 1999, when Victoria defeated South Australia by 54 points at the MCG.

Adelaide excitement machine Izak Rankine. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Emerging St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera celebrates kicking a goal during his side’s upset win against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Big V team was headlined by Anthony Koutoufides, Stephen Silvagni, Matthew Lloyd and Brent Harvey while SA’s stars included Mark Ricciuto, Craig Bradley, Warren Tredrea and Andrew McKay.

There have been a couple of exhibition matches played since, with Victoria beating a Dream Team in a 2008 Hall of Fame Tribute Match while it also accounted for an All-Stars team in the 2020 bushfire relief match.

While AFL clubs have long put up roadblocks to talk of true State of Origin football returning as they fear injuries to their key men and question how it can be slotted into the football calendar, it seems there is now enough support to bring it back in some way, shape or form.

When quizzed by radio SEN earlier in the year about their stance on the return of State of Origin, all 18 AFL captains gave the concept a thumbs up.

Brisbane skipper and South Australian star Lachie Neale, a dual Brownlow Medallist, was the firmest proponent, saying “hell yes. I’d love to play in that”.

The current generation of AFL players has been denied the chance to represent their state, something which isn’t lost on dual Essendon premiership player and 1996 Brownlow Medallist James Hird.

“Looking back on my career, I wish I had been more involved in state footy because they are very special memories to play with the best of the best,’’ he told Channel 9.

So let’s get to work, let’s make it happen and have SA play a starring role.

Star Crow Riley Thilthorpe celebrates one of his five goals against Gold Coast on Saturday. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

McGuire suggested turning State of Origin football into a carnival again and making it a massive television and tourism event, with states playing in two divisions, games shared around the country and the AFL having it go head-to-head when the NRL is kicking off its rugby league season in Las Vegas.

“It’s a really good opportunity,’’ he said

SA should be all over the concept like a rash.

No city would support State of Origin more than Adelaide.

The state has rallied behind AFL Gather Round, which is this week being staged here for the third consecutive year, while SA sports fans again showed their incredible passion for their teams during cricket’s Sheffield Shield final.

They not only packed Karen Rolton Oval for the first four days of the match, they flooded onto the ground to celebrate SA’s historic win against Queensland when Jason Sangha hit the winning runs late on day four.

It’s a case of if you build it, they will come.

SA Premier and renowned sports fan Peter Malinauskas, who is the man who brought Gather Round and LIV Golf to Adelaide, is the right person and figurehead to ensure our state is at the front of the queue to host State of Origin football.

The timing is right.

Port Adelaide’s Jason Horne-Francis in action against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

SA, whose rich State of Origin history is built on famous local names like Kernahan, Platten, Bradley, Jarman and McDermott, is entering a new golden generation of talent.

Take a look at these names - Thilthorpe, Rankine, Horne-Francis, Wanganeen-Milera, Day, Rozee, Fogarty, Pickett and Draper.

Then there is the older guard, consisting of Neale, Dawson, Grundy, Wilkie and Laird.

While a few years ago it was feared that an SA State of Origin team would be wiped to the floor by the Big V, the current team would be super competitive and ooze excitement.

SA fans would love to see Neale, Hawthorn’s Will Day, St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett and Geelong’s Tyson Stengle go to work alongside the best Croweaters the Crows and Power have to offer.

A possible SA team looks light on for key backmen but there is no shortage of game-breakers.

Bring it on!

POSSIBLE SA STATE OF ORIGIN TEAM

F: Izak Rankine (Adel), Riley Thilthorpe (Adel), Tyson Stengle (Geel)

HF: Will Hayward (Syd), Darcy Fogarty (Adel), Kysaiah Pickett (Melb)

C: Will Day (Haw), Lachie Neale (Bris), Connor Rozee (PA)

HB: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (SK), Charlie Ballard (GC), Mason Redman (Ess)

B: Max Michalanney (Adel), Callum Wilkie (SK), Rory Laird (Adel)

1R: Brodie Grundy (Syd), Jordan Dawson (Adel), Jason Horne-Francis (PA)

INT (from): Jack Lukosius (PA), Sid Draper (Adelaide), Mitch Hinge (Adel), Alex Neal-Bullen (Adel), Sam Draper (Ess), Jase Burgoyne (PA), Caleb Daniel (NM),

Mattaes Phillipou (SK)

NUMBERS GAME

4

Times in the space of Adelaide’s past 37 games the AFL has admitted to a late umpiring error in a close loss which might have cost it the game.

14

Crow Riley Thilthorpe goals after four rounds - the equal-most in the AFL, along with North Melbourne’s Nick Larkey.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“We once again find ourselves faced with an AFL acknowledgment of an umpiring error but unfortunately and in reality, it is of no use or benefit to our club, players, coaches, staff, members and supporters. It’s increasingly frustrating.’’ - Crows CEO Tim Silvers after Izak Rankine was robbed of a late mark and free kick in the one-point loss to Gold Coast.

“There is something missing with this football club. You can’t have a week like they’ve had and turn up like that. You just can’t .... they were putrid in that first quarter.’’- Port Adelaide premiership ruckman Dean Brogan on the Power’s loss to St Kilda.

Originally published as Talent-laden South Australia should jump at the chance to reignite State of Origin football | Andrew Capel