THE WHISPERS are growing louder that State of Origin and representative football is set for a return.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has said that representative football is "something we're working through with our clubs and our players" and that it is "something that I would really like to land".
In anticipation of football's long-forgotten rivalries potentially being renewed again, AFL.com.au will publish a special five-part feature this week to predict what the teams could look like.
The teams – four-state based sides and the Indigenous All Stars – have been picked as though the match would take place with everyone fully fit, with the sides selected based on a combination of current form and standing within the game.
The state boundaries are divided based on which teams each player represented throughout their junior careers at under-18s level, while Indigenous players have been selected for the Indigenous All Stars ahead of their respective state teams.
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Monday: Our Victorian State of Origin team
Tuesday: Our Indigenous All Stars team
Wednesday: Our Allies State of Origin team
Thursday: Our South Australian State of Origin team
Friday: Our Western Australian State of Origin team
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TRY SCORING against this Allies team.
While arguably the most difficult side of the State of Origin representative teams to put together, the Allies have an abundance of quality defenders that is undoubtedly the strength of this team.
Leading the way is Brisbane's premiership captain Harris Andrews, but he is capably supported by an All-Australian duo in Port Adelaide's Aliir Aliir and Sydney's Nick Blakey, as well as a five-time best and fairest in Dayne Zorko.
Greater Western Sydney's Harry Himmelberg and Collingwood's Harry Perryman completes the back six, although Sydney's Dane Rampe, the Giants' Jack Buckley and the Pies' Jeremy Howe also have a case to crack into the starting side.
There is a dual ruck approach led by Gold Coast's Jarrod Witts and Richmond's Toby Nankervis, although again you could make the argument that the Giants' Kieren Briggs is stiff to miss out.
A strong midfield group features Giants contested beast Tom Green, as well as St Kilda's Jack Steele and Sydney's Isaac Heeney, while the likes of Errol Gulden, Callum Mills, Jacob Hopper and Matt Kennedy would provide rotations.
The forward group is perhaps the weakness of the Allies' team, but still has goalkicking threats in key-position options like Adelaide's Taylor Walker, Port Adelaide's Todd Marshall and Brisbane's Eric Hipwood.
There is also a strong amount of depth missing out with Gold Coast's Jed Walter and Ethan Read, as well as North Melbourne's Colby McKercher, likely to lead any Allies side in the future.
Allies
B: Aliir Aliir, Harris Andrews, Nick Blakey
HB: Dayne Zorko, Harry Himmelberg, Harry Perryman
C: Isaac Cumming, Tom Green, Callum Mills
HF: Ben Keays, Taylor Walker, Errol Gulden
F: Zac Bailey, Eric Hipwood, Todd Marshall
Foll: Jarrod Witts, Jack Steele, Isaac Heeney
I/C: Toby Nankervis, Jacob Hopper, Dane Rampe, Matt Kennedy
Emerg: James Peatling, Jaspa Fletcher, Jack Buckley, Kieren Briggs
Notable others: Chayce Jones, Lachie Cowan, Jeremy Howe, Brody Mihocek, Jack Bowes, Jake Kolodjashnij, Lachie Weller, Will Graham, Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Bodhi Uwland, Connor Budarick, Lachie Keeffe, Mabior Chol, Luke Breust, Charlie Spargo, Bailey Scott, Colby McKercher, Seth Campbell, Dougal Howard, Harry Cunningham, Sam Wicks, Braeden Campbell
