State of Oranges

[jeemak]

I haven't been on BF for a long time and rarely hear anything of the topic however, does anyone actually still bring up the lack of SOO for Australian Rules anymore, or is it done and dusted as a concept?

The reason I ask is that I'm about to secure tickets for game three of this years NRL series in Brisbane to take north of the border clients to, as I have done regularly in recent years. It's kind of become a routine for me, and I can tell you, the folks particularly from QLD go ape shit for it - which I still don't get.

Is there anything more vacuous than home state rivalry in the modern era of football entertainment?

[Twodogs]

Re: State of Oranges

I reckon I could come at a SOO game every 3 or 4 years. Make it a big, prestigious event that only happen every now and again and I think people would love it. Anything but International Rules v Ireland.

The only problem is the nong heads at the AFL would start thinking "if people love this concept every 4 years then imagine how much more they'd love it if we had it every year?"

[bulldogtragic]

Re: State of Oranges

It's never coming back, but from a footy lovers perspective I'd love some sort of exhibition game with the best against the best. But despite 70%+ or more of players wanting something like this too, I don't think it's going to happen either.

[Ozza]

Re: State of Oranges

I absolutely loved it as a kid in the late 80s and early-mid 90s.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have a place anymore, which is a shame.

[Bornadog]

Re: State of Oranges

Now that there is a full national competition, I really don't care about SOO.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: State of Oranges

I absolutely loved it as a kid in the late 80s and early-mid 90s.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have a place anymore, which is a shame.

My last SOO was the EJ lap of honour game. There was a buzz not only about EJ, but cheering (just for one game) for a team with Ablett & Lockett with 20 other guns. It was some great footy to watch, but with so much money involved I can see why clubs don't want it. An exhibition game the week or so before the start of the season, as the season kick off, I still think could work if the huge mass of players got to have such a game they want. We wouldn't have to suffer Richmond/Carlton as the first game, we don't have a pre-season cup so that doesn't matter and the players would probably be better for the run which they need early on (albeit bruise free footy probably like the last exhibition game which was fun to go to where Fev kicked 10). Even if they siphoned the best players in the last JLT round to do it, then the players aren't exposed to more risk and would be playing on the MCG or similar, and not woop-woop grounds with varying degrees of surfaces.

[jeemak]

Re: State of Oranges

Now that there is a full national competition, I really don't care about SOO.

I think it's a result of genuine equalisation where eight out of ten teams are still in play towards the end of the season. National, or otherwise, with such high stakes how can you get get clubs to buy into it?

My last SOO was the EJ lap of honour game. There was a buzz not only about EJ, but cheering (just for one game) for a team with Ablett & Lockett with 20 other guns. It was some great footy to watch, but with so much money involved I can see why clubs don't want it. An exhibition game the week or so before the start of the season, as the season kick off, I still think could work if the huge mass of players got to have such a game they want. We wouldn't have to suffer Richmond/Carlton as the first game, we don't have a pre-season cup so that doesn't matter and the players would probably be better for the run which they need early on (albeit bruise free footy probably like the last exhibition game which was fun to go to where Fev kicked 10). Even if they siphoned the best players in the last JLT round to do it, then the players aren't exposed to more risk and would be playing on the MCG or similar, and not woop-woop grounds with varying degrees of surfaces.

The only way I could see it working - apart for the many reasons I can't - is when clubs are at their first break for the year, still reasonably fresh and with a natural competitor to compete with. Given the AFL's money making mandate, having it at the start of the year would be pointless, meaning it would need to be played at the same time NRL is gaining momentum from the concept.

I was at that game too BT, it was less than 7 degrees and something special. I don't see how that would ever be replicated again.

[Twodogs]

Re: State of Oranges

I watched that game the other day. Unbelievable footy.

[Twodogs]

Re: State of Oranges

It would be fun having it every four years though.

Picking the big Vee starting four midfielders wouldn't be easy. Mumford, Bontempelli, Kelly, Ward? Macrae? Martin? Sloane? Kennedy?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: State of Oranges

I think it's a result of genuine equalisation where eight out of ten teams are still in play towards the end of the season. National, or otherwise, with such high stakes how can you get get clubs to buy into it?



The only way I could see it working - apart for the many reasons I can't - is when clubs are at their first break for the year, still reasonably fresh and with a natural competitor to compete with. Given the AFL's money making mandate, having it at the start of the year would be pointless, meaning it would need to be played at the same time NRL is gaining momentum from the concept.

I was at that game too BT, it was less than 7 degrees and something special. I don't see how that would ever be replicated again.

It won't, it can't. I doubt there would ever be any type of game, despite some fans and most players wanting it. However, if the AFEL did a focus group showing they could sell out the MCG for a game ever four years (at big prices) with all money going to them, they might ignore the clubs. But I don't see it happening, and I think the die hard SOO fans forget how quickly it died through lack of interest without EJ single handledly pushing the barrow.

[Bornadog]

Re: State of Oranges

The teams picked the other day on AFL.com.au

VICTORIA

B: Heath Shaw, Robbie Tarrant, Dylan Roberton
HB: Easton Wood, Michael Hurley, Sam Docherty
C: Josh Kelly, Joel Selwood, Zach Merrett
HF: Marcus Bontempelli, Joe Daniher, Dustin Martin
F: Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron, Eddie Betts
R: Shane Mumford, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane
INT: Ollie Wines, Gary Ablett, Andrew Gaff, Clayton Oliver
UNLUCKY: Marc Murphy, Scott Pendlebury, Tom Lynch (Gold Coast), Matthew Kreuzer, Seb Ross

ALLIES
B: Jarrod Harbrow, Dane Rampe, Jeremy Howe
HB: Callum Mills, Steven May, Zac Williams
C: Isaac Smith, Dayne Beams, Nick Riewoldt
HF: Steven Motlop, Taylor Walker, Mav Weller
F: Jack Riewoldt, Ben Brown, Luke Breust
R: Toby Nankervis, Isaac Heeney, Dayne Zorko
INT: Sam Gilbert, Zach Tuohy, Jack Steele, Lachie Weller
UNLUCKY: Harris Andrews, Jarrod Witts, Josh Green



SOUTH AUSTRALIA

B: Rory Laird, Phil Davis, Tom Jonas
HB: Shannon Hurn, Heath Grundy, Shaun Burgoyne
C: Jared Polec, Bryce Gibbs, Bernie Vince
HF: Paul Puopolo, Justin Westhoff, Shane Edwards
F: Orazio Fantasia, Daniel Menzel, Brodie Grundy
R: Sam Jacobs, Brad Ebert, Lachie Neale
INT: Caleb Daniel, Brodie Smith, Ryan Burton, Trent Dumont
UNLUCKY: Hamish Hartlett, Andrew Mackie, Jack Hombsch


WESTERN AUSTRALIA

B: Nathan Wilson, Alex Rance, Brad Sheppard
HB: Elliot Yeo, Jeremy McGovern, Jason Johannisen
C: Bradley Hill, Patrick Cripps, Mitch Duncan
HF: Michael Walters, Lance Franklin, Cam McCarthy
F: Jeff Garlett, Paddy Ryder, Charlie Cameron
Ruck: Aaron Sandilands, Nat Fyfe, Tom Mitchell
INT: Connor Blakely, Matt Priddis, Daniel Wells, Stephen Hill
UNLUCKY: Jack Darling, Sam Menegola, Sam Powell-Pepper

[Twodogs]

Re: State of Oranges

A combined total of 3 players over 4 teams for the premiers? They can stick the concept up their clacker then!

[soupman]

Re: State of Oranges

A combined total of 3 players over 4 teams for the premiers? They can stick the concept up their clacker then!

I thought the same but if you go through our lineup nearly everyone is a good or very good player who is not elite. It also doesn't help that there are practically no established best 22 players for us that aren't Victorian so we can't take advantage of weaker allies lineups or the like.

The only players I think have claims to be in the mix (not actually in the best 22s though) are Macrae, Adams and Dahlhaus

[Twodogs]

Re: State of Oranges

I thought the same but if you go through our lineup nearly everyone is a good or very good player who is not elite. It also doesn't help that there are practically no established best 22 players for us that aren't Victorian so we can't take advantage of weaker allies lineups or the like.

The only players I think have claims to be in the mix (not actually in the best 22s though) are Macrae, Adams and Dahlhaus

That's true. Apart from those three (I'd make it four and put Libba in, he can't continue his current form. Wallis at his best isn't far off either and Murph in his recent form would be a chance for captain)

Players who are super important to us like Roughie and Picken and Morris and the like are not quite in the bracket that would warrant selection in an elite Squad. But Luke Dalhaus deserves to be in any elite squad. He has been down a bit on output the last couple of weeks but he is a gun. No one hits as many contests as Luke Dalhaus and none hits them as hard as he does. And after he hits them he runs to make contest. He runs hard if there is a goal on offer to whoever gets on the end of a scoring chain! And Jack Macrae should be in it also. He's an elite runner.

Although they are not that far from it. Those are the guys who kept rising to the occasion in the finals last year.

[jeemak]

Re: State of Oranges

Everyone knows we're playing like caca, but they're not willing to admit if we get it together every other team's effed.