This was published 3 months ago
That’s all we have for you tonight.
Thanks so much for joining us for a cracking Origin match.
We will have plenty more AFL and Origin coverage in the days and weeks to come so please keep visiting our sports pages as we count down to the start of the AFL season.
Please have a lovely evening and bye for now.
Jonathan Brown wants Origin matches played every year as a launch for the season proper, while Victorian great Garry Lyon is happy for AFL overlords to step back and figure out a plan for the future.
But tonight’s Origin match has certainly made a strong argument for some form of representative football in future.
“It’s a great way to launch the season, we’ve seen rugby league has gone to Las Vegas, this could be our launch and give us some momentum going into opening round,” Brown said on Fox Footy post game.
“Whether it becomes Victoria versus South Australia next year or is Victoria versus WA - when the Victorian travel and the AFL can get on the road and showcase this game played at that level - then it is a fantastic concept that should be played every year.”
Toby Greene admits he loved playing for Victoria and wasn’t going to miss the match despite having some injury worries in the preseason.
“The way I looked at it was that I would rather play this than in a practice game. It was unreal,” Greene told Fox Footy.
Greene also said his good mate Jeremy Cameron was “shattered” when he was ruled out through injury.
“Jez is shattered he didn’t get to play. I had been texting him to see if he was going to play but, hopefully, we are going to run it back next year somewhere and I will be doing all I can to get there.”
Bailey Smith his views on the match when speaking to Fox Footy.
On whether players would take it seriously:
“That was one thing that pissed us all off during the week - is it the real deal? Obviously, it’s the real deal. When you put your boots on and go out there, there is no half doing it it.
“I hope Weiters is alright.”
As the players call for State of Origin to continue next year, Jason Dunstall believes the final injury list from this match will have the biggest say on Origin’s future.
But he does believe Origin matches could also work in South Australia.
“I think there is going to be a story around the injury toll, so we have to wait and see who has done what and what amount of football they are going to miss,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy.
“But I think there is a blueprint here for something that might be able to catch fire again.
“Whether it is just here [Perth] that can get the sell out crowd, I suspect Adelaide Oval in South Australia could get one but what size crowd would you get in Victoria? I don’t know yet.
“But I think we got a taste of something tonight that might be worth building on.”
Both Origin skippers Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli have called for Origin to return next year with WA wanting another shot at Victoria.
I would imagine the South Australian, Queensland and NSW players will be keen to represent their states.
“We can’t wait to run it back,” Bontempelli said as did Zak Butters during his post game chat with Fox Footy.
Cripps said it meant a lot for him and his WA players to wear their state colours again.
“I think State of Origin is here to stay, thanks for the support,” Cripps told the crowd.
Lachie Ash has won the EJ Whitten Medal as best on ground for Victoria ahead of Nick Daicos.
Ash was among the best players with 25 disposals but Nick Daicos had 38 touches and a goal.
WA forward Jesse Hogan has won the Graham Moss Medal as best on ground for his state.
Zak Butters spoke to Fox Footy post game.
On the match:
It was a good contest, especially from some of the boys, that was a courageous effort from Weiters to go back with the flight in the first quarter.
If you don’t think the boys were taking it serious, that was the example. It was a great contest.