Origin footy returns to the AFL landscape for the first time in over 26 years on Saturday night, with Western Australia to host Victoria at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Victoria and Western Australia haven’t faced off in an Origin match since 1992, when the Vics thumped WA by 67 points at the MCG. It will be Western Australia’s first Origin game since 1998.
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Victoria coach Chris Scott said he’d watched past Victorian sides that had Gary Ablett Snr, Jason Dunstall and Tony Lockett all playing in the same team, but boldly declared on Friday: “This is the best team that I’ve ever seen take the field.”
Scott vowed the two sides would “put on a good show”.
“I know there have been a couple of games that I think we would describe … as a bit more Mickey Mouse over the last decade or so,” Scott said.
“I think it’s probably something like 25 years since this has been a really serious game.
Origin stars ‘all in’ for historic game | 02:31
“And I guess along with the honour that we all feel being asked to represent our state, it is that responsibility to actually build something bigger.
“We’re not making any promises necessarily about what this could evolve into in the future, but we certainly don’t want to do a disservice to it and have the people that might be questioning it at the moment feel vindicated.”
WA coach Dean Cox also bristled at suggestions the AFL “messed up” by placing active coaches in the two Origin set-ups as it might give involved clubs “a leg up” in the race for potential trade targets.
Asked if he would use his time as WA coach to try to recruit players, Cox categorically responded: “No. My greater purpose is to get these players to perform well for WA.
“It’s not about recruiting. And I think what you’ll find is most of these players are on long-term deals, because they deserve it.”
This match gets underway at 7.40pm (AEDT) from Optus Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy — via Kayo Sports or Foxtel (Channel 504) — from 6.30pm (AEDT).
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