State of Origin return something AFL boss Andrew Dillon 'would really like to land'
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon wants representative footy to return and is actively attempting to make it happen.
The league hasn't seen a regular State of Origin format since the 1990s, while Australia taking on Ireland in the international format last featured in 2017.
However, the success of February's Indigenous All Stars clash against Fremantle has put it back on the agenda.
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2017's International Rules Series between Australia and Ireland in Perth Getty
Dillon, who took over as AFL boss in 2023, said representative footy is something he personally wants to reignite.
"It is something that I would really like to land, if we can," Dillon told SEN.
"When you sit at the Hall of Fame or you speak to players who played the '80s and '90s, they talk a lot about the representative footy that they played.
"I think looking at international rules or representative footy is something that I think will be great for the competition, but I think the fans would really get behind it.
"We saw with the All-Star game in Perth earlier this year is that it works, and the fans really get behind it, when it means something to the players and our clubs get behind it.
"That's something we're working through with our clubs and our players, because I think if we can get it right it could be a great addition in the way Gather Round has been an incredible addition to the football calendar."
Dillon believes the key to its success is scarcity, saying they need to maximise how special it feels to the players in order to gain fan buy-in.
"If you have a 12-year career, I would like that player to have the opportunity to represent their state on a number of occasions and a few chances to represent their country," he said.
"I think part of it is also having it as 'when your time comes, this is your opportunity' and I think that's what happened with State of Origin last time. With the regularity of it, players were able to pull out because they could play the next year.
"It's a fine balance. It's about having something that means something to the players, so it means something to the fans."
The AFL has attempted one-off representative games in the last 20 years, with Victoria versus The Allies concepts in 2008 and 2020.
