Sydney Swans’ coach John Longmire sees an already heavy schedule as a major road-block in the re-establishment of State of Origin in the AFL.
Speaking after game one of rugby league’s Origin Series, Longmire said he couldn't see where state games would fit within the AFL’s current schedule.
“In regards to the AFL doing it, I just can’t see how it’s going to fit into the schedule and that’s the biggest challenge for them,” he said.
“The players enjoy having the bye during the season, and it’s on the record that they want even two byes, so I’m not sure if you could have two byes, 22 games, finals and a pre-season competition.
“It’s a tough season anyway, it goes for a long time and is one of the longest competitions in the world in terms of season length plus you’ve got a sub rule and other things put in place that sees players play more game time, so I just can’t see it happening in the short term.”
Earlier this week, Swans’ midfielder Kieren Jack, the son of NSW Origin great Garry Jack, said he’d love the opportunity to represent his state in an Origin series.
"I don't remember too much of the AFL State of Origin but personally, growing up with league State of Origin, I'd love the opportunity to come around," Jack told the Daily Telegraph.
"A couple of years ago I represented Australia and played in Ireland as part of the International Rules series and that was an amazing feeling for me.
"It's something that I never thought would have happened for me, playing AFL, so if there's an opportunity to represent NSW or a combined Allies team I'd love to do it.”
But Longmire, who represented both Victoria and New South Wales in State of Origin, said football has also become a lot more professional since he was a player.
“It was back in the days when we actually played on a Saturday, Tuesday we played State of Origin and we backed up the following Saturday,” he said.
“It was a fair bit different back then and it was just something that was done and it was accepted.
“I think now, in the age of recovery and player-management it’s not as acceptable and everyone is a bit wiser to that sort of thing.”
The Swans coach also contemplated whether an Origin series was needed in a competition that now encapsulates teams from right across the county.
“I think that’s where it gets hard and I think the romantic notion of seeing Victoria versus South Australia or things like that, you can see that happening or maybe get built up over time, but with a national competition the way it is, you get a slice of that anyway,” he said.
“You don’t get all the best players playing together, so I understand it’s not quite the same, but you get an element of it.”
