Coach Mark Thompson described the experience as "just a great week". Captain Jonathan Brown said the match gave the players a "great feeling". And Allen Aylett medallist Brendan Fevola claimed it was "the highlight of my career".
That's why Thompson, when asked if there is a home for regular State of Origin football in today's professional world of AFL, didn't mince his words.
"It's only a personal opinion, but I'd like to think judging on the players and how they approach the game … they're sending a message that they'd like some opportunity to play for their state," he said.
"Whether it's every year or every second year … I haven't got the right answers, but I just know they appreciated playing for their state."
Brown said the experience would be up there with the three premierships he has won with the Brisbane Lions after enjoying the social nature of the week leading into the game.
"It was a very special night, and outside the premierships, we definitely won't forget that one," he said.
"It was an arm wrestle for us, and Bomber asked us for a big effort in the last quarter and the boys delivered in front of the home crowd."
Brown had kind words for the Geelong coach, who took control of the representative side along with former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy.
"Bomber has been tremendous with the way he's handled us over the three or four days, and he's been ably assisted by Sheeds," he said.
"He's been fantastic, and he won me over straight away when he said, 'I hate long meetings'.
"I was pretty happy with that, and he obviously runs a well-oiled machine at Geelong and did the same this week.
"It's been a privilege to have been involved with Bomber."
Thompson, as he maintained during last year's record breaking premiership season at the helm of Geelong, said he didn't have much to do when given such a talented list of players.
But he emphasised how much he enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in the one-off exhibition match, and marvelled at how cohesive his team became in such a short space of time.
"I'm just very lucky to have been in this position, and to be coach of this mob," he said.
"I didn't have to do much, really. We just got a program and tried to shape a few little things, and we wanted to play as more of a team than our opposition.
"I think by the end of the night, we probably did that. It was amazing how close they got over the two or three days they spent together, and it's a privilege to be their coach and to be involved."
