On the back of a renewed debate over State of Origin football several Fremantle stars have put their support behind the concept and revealed they’d jump at the chance of representing their home state.

The national competition has taken the code to all corners of the country but there is immense passion and pride amongst the players to wear their state jumper.

“I would love to play State of Origin... just to have the one off chance to play would be a good thing to represent your state,” said WA born midfielder Des Headland.

He is supported by Fremantle vice-captain Matthew Pavlich who was born and raised in South Australia and has fond memories of attending state games at Football Park.

“I’d love to be given the opportunity and if I was picked I’d definitely play,” he said.

Team mates Paul Hasleby and Antoni Grover both represented WA throughout their junior careers and added their approval to the idea since establishing themselves at the highest level.

“I have some great memories when I was coming through the under 18’s competition, we were one of the only teams to beat the Victorians,” said Hasleby.

”They have a bit of arrogance about them, those Vics, so it would be good to come up against them and try our luck,” he added.

“I’d love to play state football if the opportunity was there but it depends on a lot of things and how your body is going if it was during the season,” Grover said.

Grover believes the game would be played in good spirits but loyalties would be put aside for four quarters as club team mates faced off against each other.

“Each team would have different strengths, look at the Victorians they’d have a powerful forward line and we’d have a great midfield,” said Grover.

“It would always be a challenge to play on Pav, just like it is at training.”

The push to re-introduce State of Origin has gained momentum with the AFL saying they’re seriously considering bringing back the idea in 2008 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of football.
"We are looking at a range of measures in 2008 to celebrate that milestone, and one of things on the drawing board is the possibility of a State of Origin concept returning," AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said.
Jeff Farmer is one of only a handful of Fremantle players that has worn the WA jumper in a State of Origin game and is excited about the possibility of the concept returning.

“It was a great opportunity to play with fellow sandgropers and it would be great to see the concept come back,” said Farmer.

“It’s a good chance for WA boys to get together and play against the other states and get that rivalry happening again.”

One of the sticking point to the re-introduction of State of Origin is the timing of the game with several ideas being considered including a fortnight before the start of the home and away season or during the current mid-season break. However Pavlich believes with the amount of football being played each year and the physical demands on the players there could be a better solution.

“I think the AFL could possibly think about doing something radical by amending the pre-season competition and having the State of Origin then,” said Pavlich.

”I think the pre-season ends up being pretty long and even though people say they’re only trial games they end up being pretty serious so why not play State of Origin at the start of the year and then we can get into the season proper.”

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