Mod. Notice The One Stop Off Season State of Origin Thread

[Dazzler9]

SOO made sense in the WAFL/SANFL/VFL era. It was great and actually meant something to all stakeholders.

From the start of the AFL era to the mid-late 90s it died a gradual, lingering death. My personal interest in those games was nil, and it meant I couldn't watch my club play that weekend, so it sucked.

Re-introducing SOO now would have a novelty effect for a couple of years, same as when International Rules was re-introduced in the late 90s. But after that time everyone will become blase and wonder why we even bother.

 

[Whiskers]

Alternate pre-seasons for each. So lets say WA v Vic in Australian Championship 1

They play NSW that same weekend.

The winners meet next week in the Championship Final. The losers play off for relegation to division 2 for next pre-season.



Exactly. So division 1 is for the top 4 states and the title on line each pre-season for Australian Champion.

Division 2 is for the remaining states to earn the right to be promoted to division one the following year to get a crack against the strong football states.

So for example Vic, WA, SA & NSW in division 1.

Tassie, Queensland, ACT & NT in division 2.

2 weekends each March of pre-season.

Not bad footyfan78 I do want it back but I get the feeling it won’t remain popular enough from key stakeholders over a period of time.

The only change I would make to your suggestion is the 2nd game is mid year during the bye weeks.

If a player is ‘unavailable’ they should also be unavailable for their sides next game.
Anyway I’m on board, just a pity most others won’t be.

 

[footyfan1978]

Not bad footyfan78 I do want it back but I get the feeling it won’t remain popular enough from key stakeholders over a period of time.

The only change I would make to your suggestion is the 2nd game is mid year during the bye weeks.

If a player is ‘unavailable’ they should also be unavailable for their sides next game.
Anyway I’m on board, just a pity most others won’t be.

Do not think it will work mid year.
March is only time I believe it can truly work.

 

[Whiskers]

Do not think it will work mid year.
March is only time I believe it can truly work.

Curious to know why you think it won’t work mid year?
Imo people are more interested in their own side pre season and might see SOO as more Mickey Mouse stuff in the lead up to the season.

 

[footyfan1978]

Curious to know why you think it won’t work mid year?

I seen it mid year. It does not work anymore. Club season overrides once real season gets underway. It only worked in club-season when players had proper jobs and played in strong proud state leagues and a weekend set aside for state leagues to play each other. Once the big money invested in players by clubs they no longer allowed all the best players to truly take part and we got a second rate product in 1990's when strong state leagues were absorbed by AFL. Hence we got where we are.

So before club season truly underway is the only time of year it can possibly work. That is March. Perfect time for best players to want to get into it and put on best show possible. Best time for AFL to create landscape with timing and big money to promote it and get clubs to allow it to take place if they get extra money kick backs for how many players from their own club take part. When the best players go at it, it is incredible product to see. The best level of our game that possible to see or play in. It has got to happen if we have any vision for this great game.

 

[gillo94]

Curious to know why you think it won’t work mid year?
Imo people are more interested in their own side pre season and might see SOO as more Mickey Mouse stuff in the lead up to the season.

It won’t work mid year for the same reason won’t work pre season. Clubs want their players rested, and niggles attended to and ready to fire for second half of the season.

Example.
Giants, Crows, Bombers are outside the top 8. Do you think the coaches and doctors of these 3 teams right now are interested in
Josh Kelly, Jake Stringer, Zach Merrett, Cogniglio, Tex Walker etc etc in playing SOO right now? Do you think Geelong right now leading into the bye Rounds want Danger and Ablett rested up or do your club doctors & Chris Scott want to get these boys to the physios during the time off?

Pre-season yes I just want to see my team on how they are travelling and how progressing to lead up to R1. SOO doesn’t work here as majority of supporters want to see their own teams prior to the lead up as I’m sure all coaches would too.

Reason it works for NRL & Doesn’t for AFL.

1. NRL games aren’t as taxing on the body as it is for AFL. Games are shorter in NRL and as we see every year NRL games play few extra games and still manage to fit in 3 origin games.

2. NRL players love the concept. NRL players Stars even commit to playing for Australia. Origin is a pinnacle event on the calendar for the players and fans, QLD/NSW rivalry has a meaning. You will notice the matches sellout. AFL SOO has no meaning anymore and neither players, clubs, coaches are really invested in it, just the fans, which is sad.

3. The concept is key for success. NRL again has it, AFL doesn’t.
NSW vs QLD, 2 major rugby states playing off. This has been going on forever, it works.

While AFL is still trying to figure out what will work and should we have States or All star games?
VIC, SA, WA, The Allies. The concept back in the 90’s was winners from year 1 will play each other the following year while losers play for the following year and winner of that gets promoted. Does that work? Only worked for like 5 years.
Second concept possibly from EJ Whitten Game is VIC vs Allstars which I would like but again it’s will it work out over a period of time, who knows?

4. Financial incentives are involved in NRL, which gets the best NRL players committed. NRL will field less players than AFL and some AFL players on big money. Can AFL accomodote these requirements and so for how many SOO teams?

 

[Walshawk]

All Star game is what we need, rather than SoO.

Pass.
In what way would that be better?

 

[Ben B 96]

watching an old Vic v wa now,wow so many champions all over the ground,I miss this type of footy and sadly I doubt it will ever happe n again,if it ever did maybe at the end of the season and give the players a good pay day.

 

[footyfan1978]

watching an old Vic v wa now,wow so many champions all over the ground,I miss this type of footy and sadly I doubt it will ever happe n again,if it ever did maybe at the end of the season and give the players a good pay day.

Certainly the most skillful games we saw because of so many champions in the one game.
Those Tuesday arvo games from Subiaco stick in mind forever. Get home from school as a kid and was amazing in early to mid 80's.

 

[Ben B 96]

Certainly the most skillful games we saw because of so many champions in the one game.
Those Tuesday arvo games from Subiaco stick in mind forever. Get home from school as a kid and was amazing in early to mid 80's.

Bloody oath,I reckon I bolted home from school as fast as I've ever had when those Tuesday matches were on,great memories.

 

[Fizzler]

Pass.
In what way would that be better?

Only 2 teams rather than 4 to 6, more of an event, state vs state is irrelevant in a national comp, etc.

 

[Moo]

My dad took me in 1977 and didn't tell mum until after the event.

Those who said the WA players were the bravest men that day had not met my mum.

I'd love it back, 3 states and winner stays on for the next year.

 

[10571z]

Will never happen. The pinnacle of AFL is winning a flag. Completely different to NRL who would rather their stars play in SOO

 

[Walshawk]

Only 2 teams rather than 4 to 6, more of an event, state vs state is irrelevant in a national comp, etc.

Vic v the rest also has two teams. No one will care about red v blue.

 

[wally funk]

Vic v the rest also has two teams. No one will care about red v blue.

Trouble is, non-Vics don't really like being lumped in with other states. Thus why SoO is, sadly, dead in Australian football.