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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THERE is a 'Land of the Giants' feel to this Western Australia side.
Across every line, there are key-position options and big guys in abundance.
Down back, Greater Western Sydney star Sam Taylor leads a unit that is strengthened by Hawthorn's Tom Barrass and West Coast's Jeremy McGovern, while they are ably supported by Brandon Starcevich and Nathan Broad.
But there are even more options in reserve with Carlton's Mitch McGovern, the Western Bulldogs' Rory Lobb and North Melbourne's Griffin Logue among those who could deputise in their place.
In attack, the reigning Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan leads the line in front of a forward group that also includes West Coast's Jake Waterman and Oscar Allen, as well as Western Bulldogs spearhead Aaron Naughton.
Again, there are heaps of other options. Port Adelaide's Mitch Georgiades, Fremantle's Jye Amiss, Geelong's Shannon Neale, Melbourne's Jacob van Rooyen and Sydney's Logan McDonald are among those to miss out.
Collingwood's Darcy Cameron and Fremantle's Luke Jackson form a dual ruck approach, but the Western Bulldogs' former All-Australian ruck Tim English can consider himself stiff to miss out.
Even in the midfield, Carlton's big-bodied onballer Patrick Cripps is the star of the show among a rotation that also includes Sydney's Chad Warner, the Giants' Stephen Coniglio, and West Coast's Liam Baker and Elliot Yeo.
If one thing is for sure, you won't out-mark this Western Australia side in the air.
Western Australia
B: Brandon Starcevich, Sam Taylor, Tom Barrass
HB: Jordan Clark, Jeremy McGovern, Nathan Broad
C: Nic Martin, Patrick Cripps, Liam Baker
HF: Darcy Jones, Jesse Hogan, Cam Zurhaar
F: Jake Waterman, Aaron Naughton, Oscar Allen
Foll: Darcy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio, Chad Warner
I/C: Luke Jackson, Trent Rivers, Mitch Georgiades, Elliot Yeo
Emerg: Mitch McGovern, Wil Powell, Rory Lobb, Tim English
Notable others: Dan Curtin, Blake Acres, Tom Mitchell, Matt Guelfi, Jye Amiss, Jaeger O'Meara, Heath Chapman, Nat Fyfe, Nathan O'Driscoll, Bailey Banfield, Mitch Duncan, Shannon Neale, David Swallow, Judd McVee, Jacob van Rooyen, Koltyn Tholstrup, Griffin Logue, Zac Fisher, Jack Darling, Kamdyn McIntosh, Logan McDonald, Dom Sheed, Reuben Ginbey, Brady Hough, Jamie Cripps, Riley Garcia, Jason Johannisen
