Australian Rules-AFL to revive State of Origin after 27-year hiatus

The Australian Football League (AFL) will revive its "State of Origin" concept after a 27-year break, with a Western Australian (WA) representative team to host a Victorian side in Perth in February. State of Origin matches in Australian Rules football were a feature of the 1980s and 90s following the first game between WA and Victoria at Perth's Subiaco Oval in 1977.

However, flagging popularity saw the concept shelved in 1999 following Victoria's 54-point defeat of South Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. AFL boss Andrew Dillon said on Monday fans and players alike had been calling for its return.

"Origin inspires passion, state pride and draws upon years old rivalries that are central to the history of our game and our very greatest players," Dillon said in a statement. "It will be a special moment to see a Big V (Victoria) and a Sandgroper (WA) jumper back on the field before we start our 2026 AFL premiership season."

WA will host the pre-season clash on Feb. 14 at Perth Stadium where 37,865 fans turned out for an exhibition match between an All-Star team of the country's top Indigenous Australian footballers and Perth-based AFL side Fremantle. State of Origin was adopted by the AFL's main sporting rival, National Rugby League, in 1980, and the annual series between the eastern states of Queensland and New South Wales quickly became one of the country's most popular events.

The AFL's top footballers rarely get a chance to play beyond club level but once gathered for "International Rules" matches in the off-season to play Ireland in modified Gaelic football. That concept was also shelved in 2017, though the AFL has met with Irish Gaelic football officials over the past year in a bid to revive it.

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