Molly’s Plan For the Return of State of Origin Footy
Here is my plan to return State of Origin Footy to that AFL Calendar. The main issue with it is that the best players either don’t want to play or are pressured out of playing by the AFL. So my plan mainly looks at this side of it. Who plays who isn’t going to be dealt with in this plan:
1) Preseason is cut down by 2 weeks
2) The State of Origin weekend is held in Round 8 and is considered a normal week of AFL football that players must be ready to play in, however no AFL sides will play this weekend (yes this sounds strange but stick with it). AFL players are allowed to play in their reserve sides (i.e. VFL, WAFL, etc) with out applying for permission to play (its a normal weekend)
3) This ISN’T A BYE WEEK!
4) State teams will be picked from all players by a group of selectors. A squad will be named of around 30 with the option to bring in more players as needed due to injury or suspension.
5) Players can choose not to play without providing doctors certificates saying they are injured.
6) Any player that makes themselves unavailable (for any reason including injury) must miss the next week of AFL Footy unless they missed the round before except if that miss was the result of a suspension.
Example 1) Player A of the Pies chooses not to play for WA because of a leg injury. Seeing’s as this was a normal round and he would have missed his club game if it was on, he misses Round 9.
Example 2) Player B of the Swans is returning from Knee injury and misses round 8. He also is unavailable for the State game. He can play in Round 9.
Example 3) Player C is suspended from his club match in Round 8. He also chooses not to play in the State game and misses Round 9 as well.
My reasoning behind 5 & 6 is to give players the choice not to play in State games but if they don’t they can’t use it as a bye round as this is a week of footy. If they aren’t available for the State side, then they wouldn’t have been available for their clubs side in this round. The club they are playing shouldn’t be panelized if their players played in the State game, so players are sat out.
I understand this is controversial point of view and in reality the players would arc up against it but I think it is the fairest and best way to get the players that want to play to be able to play with out their clubs interfering. (I am no soccer expert but) I Believe this is a little like what the Soccer governing body does to stop teams pulling their players from international duties.
What do you think? Would love good or bad feedback and possibly even refinements of these “rules”. Leave a comment below or email me.
TIA
Molly
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I think you're suggestions do have merit, but to miss a game before or after is a bit much. Can you see the coaches allowing these players to miss games? Also, what about the coach themselves? Lets say Kevin Sheedy was the coach, yet came up with several excuses for his players not to play, but had other teams players playing (escpecially the team his team was due to play afterthe break), this would give him the advantage of knowing about those players and their strengths and weaknesses.
I think mid season is too risky. If a top elite player gets injured mid season, their teams prospects for the year could be affected. I think a pre season contest would be better. Currently some teams us the pre season as a guage on their younger players. Wshy not have a 'A' and 'B' grade stae of origin. The seasoned players play the 'A' grade and the youngsters or out of form players play the 'B' grade contest.
This way if a player decides not to play because of 'injury', then omit him from the first game/s of the premiership season.
Scrap the current NAB cup, and use a 'round robin' format for the State Of Origin, with all four main states fielding a side (maybe tassie and NT, Canberra could feild a side in the 'B' grade comp?).
An incentive for this could be that the winning state recieves a small cash injection into each club that represents a player, and a reduction for each player that doesn't compete.
I think you’re suggestions do have merit, but to miss a game before or after is a bit much. Can you see the coaches allowing these players to miss games? Also, what about the coach themselves? Lets say Kevin Sheedy was the coach, yet came up with several excuses for his players not to play, but had other teams players playing (escpecially the team his team was due to play afterthe break), this would give him the advantage of knowing about those players and their strengths and weaknesses.
I think mid season is too risky. If a top elite player gets injured mid season, their teams prospects for the year could be affected. I think a pre season contest would be better. Currently some teams us the pre season as a guage on their younger players. Wshy not have a ‘A’ and ‘B’ grade stae of origin. The seasoned players play the ‘A’ grade and the youngsters or out of form players play the ‘B’ grade contest.
This way if a player decides not to play because of ‘injury’, then omit him from the first game/s of the premiership season.
Scrap the current NAB cup, and use a ’round robin’ format for the State Of Origin, with all four main states fielding a side (maybe tassie and NT, Canberra could feild a side in the ‘B’ grade comp?).
An incentive for this could be that the winning state recieves a small cash injection into each club that represents a player, and a reduction for each player that doesn’t compete.
Why in the middle of the season?
Have it a couple of weeks after the Grand Final. This way there is none of this injury or suspension or club games to worry about. Post grand final pick the teams and if the players are up for it then we are away. If they aren't pick replacements.
Instead of two weeks of International Rules, have SOO games instead, same extension of representative football. Just more players needed.
This means there is no risk for clubs as the season is over and players aren't sacrificing their clubs chances in a SOO game mid-season.
PLUS if the players REALLY want state of origin they will play any time of the year.
Mid season is way too risky IMO, plus there it in invovles too much thinking. Post grand final is simple and doable, as seen in international rules in recent years.
Why in the middle of the season?
Have it a couple of weeks after the Grand Final. This way there is none of this injury or suspension or club games to worry about. Post grand final pick the teams and if the players are up for it then we are away. If they aren’t pick replacements.
Instead of two weeks of International Rules, have SOO games instead, same extension of representative football. Just more players needed.
This means there is no risk for clubs as the season is over and players aren’t sacrificing their clubs chances in a SOO game mid-season.
PLUS if the players REALLY want state of origin they will play any time of the year.
Mid season is way too risky IMO, plus there it in invovles too much thinking. Post grand final is simple and doable, as seen in international rules in recent years.