Simply nowSat 14 Feb 2026 at 8:26am
Folks energy is talking in Perth
The most important tick of all in Origin’s favour? We will have a packed home at Perth Stadium right now for a recreation that, in concept, doesn’t suggest an entire lot.
There’s a starvation for footy presently of yr little question, however there’s something about this idea and the prospect to rally behind a WA group that has actually spoken to town.
In saying that, I am listening to that it’s kind of of a shambles outdoors the bottom in the mean time. Lengthy queues of punters who’re struggling to get into the bottom, ready in fairly important warmth no much less. Not preferrred.
The large questions on tonight’s recreation
Simply how significantly will these two groups take it? They’ve each spent the final week telling us they are going to be leaving all of it on the sphere, giving it 110% and enjoying for retains. Simply what that appears like in actuality will likely be fascinating.
What occurs if any person will get injured? Everyone watching this match will likely be doing so with a little bit of nerves. We’re all followers right here, in any case, and the very last thing we wish is Our Workforce’s Celebrity taking place within the second week of February for what could possibly be thought of a glorified exhibition recreation. There will likely be backlash ought to the worst happen.
What consequence greatest retains the format alive? The Victorian group, on paper, is stronger than WA’s. All issues being equad, the Vics ought to in all probability win. However would a flogging by the favorite serve the format going ahead? Seems like the easiest way to ingest some spice into Origin within the twenty first century could be a gutsy underdog win from the Sandgropers right here.
How will the rule modifications have an effect on the sport? Adjustments have come to ruck officiating, interpretations of the stand rule, and naturally the last-touch out of bounds, which is certain to get individuals going. That is the primary correct probability we have needed to see all these tweaks in motion in an AFL setting, in order that will likely be value watching out for too.
17m in the pastSat 14 Feb 2026 at 8:09am
True State of Origin returns
We have seen a number of variations on this theme over the previous 20 years or so. A Victoria vs All Stars recreation was performed in 2008, after which once more in 2020 as a way of elevating cash after the bushfires which had ravaged the state.
This time final yr, and Indigenous All Stars group performed and beat Fremantle at Perth Stadium, in a well-attended match which in a method served as a proof of idea for this one.
A correct state vs state match has been a very long time coming — the final such recreation was performed in 1999 between Victoria and SA — and whereas it’s going to by no means imply what it used to earlier than we had a nationwide league to take pleasure in each week, you sense there may be nonetheless a little bit of satisfaction left within the guernsey right now.
24m in the pastSat 14 Feb 2026 at 8:02am
State of Origin is again!
Hey, and welcome to what’s a considerably momentous and really intriguing night time for Australian guidelines soccer. Tonight we now have a correct State of Origin match on our arms for the primary time because the Nineteen Nineties, with Western Australia and Victoria renewing a rivalry which is as outdated as the sport itself.
It could be February footy, but it surely’s very uncommon to have fairly so most of the recreation’s elite gamers on one discipline on the identical time, so on the very least we must be handled to a little bit of leisure.
Who is aware of what tonight appears to be like like, to be trustworthy, so let’s all discover out collectively.
