Even Fevola can't save boring match
10/05/2008 11:45 PM
boring.
And while critics of a Victoria-South Australia fixture would argue - what about Western Australia and players from the other states then why not have staged two matches with the other clash pitting the Sandgropers against the former Allies team, made up of players from Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT and Northern Territory in a city that is starved for top-level football such as Hobart.
So unfortunately for those who would love to see this most worthy concept - state of origin football - return to its former glory, it was another lost opportunity and even worse it is likely to be just as long before state football returns again given the club's reluctance to allow their superstars to risk injury.
It's hard to believe it was the AFL that invented the concept of state of origin football given it is now so closely associated with the National Rugby League, which copied the idea but has since turned it into the highlight of its calendar with the epic New South Wales-Queensland matches.
But unfortunately AFL fans were robbed of the opportunity to see a match with such passion on Saturday night thanks to a flawed concept and it was a shame to see the famous Big V guernsey on display in such a meaningless match when it could have so easily been taking on its greatest rival in a match which, after a nine year absence, could have revived state of origin football for the sport that invented it.