AFL locks in date for blockbuster State of Origin return between Victoria and Western Australia
After months of speculation, 7NEWS Melbourne's Mitch Cleary has confirmed Saturday, February 14 as the day that state footy will make its long awaited return after what will be 27 years by then.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: AFL State of Origin set for return next February.
Cleary revealed it will be Western Australia that takes on the Big V when the game kicks off next year.
'All parties are in the final stages of negotiation that will see WA host Victoria at Optus Stadium,' Cleary told 7NEWS Melbourne on Monday night,
'7NEWS understands the AFL and WA government held productive talks late last week, the last haggling down to the exact split on who foots the bill, and gate-takings.
'The will likely see Harley Reid the star attraction for Victoria, in Perth. The headlines just write themselves.
'The game is expected to count towards the players' pre-season schedule, excusing them from a club pre-season game.'
The Agenda Setters' Carlton Wilson reported in May that AFL captains had expressed a desire for an event this year, but the league did not want to shoehorn it into an already full calendar.
'I reckon it's going to happen and I reckon it's going to happen in February next year. And I reckon it's going to be West Australia versus Victoria.' Wilson said at the time.
'The AFL captains said they wanted it earlier this year. The AFL want to be convinced that (the 18 club captains) are going to support this.'
Before AFL State of Origin was scrapped, the great rivalry over the years was between Victoria and South Australia, with the Victoria and Western Australia rivalry a close second.
'I think because obviously Adelaide has Gather Round at the moment, and that's going to happen again at least next year, and we think for many years to come, I think the view is WA versus Victoria would be the perfect fit for next February,' Wilson said in May.
The buzz around State of Origin started earlier this year when the Indigenous All Stars took on Fremantle at Optus Stadium in an exhibition match in February.
In 2020, an exhibition game was played between Victoria and a combined All-Stars team as a bushfire-relief charity game.
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Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 19.00% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:52 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Footage behind alleged act of inappropriate touching revealed investigation...... more more into an alleged act of inappropriate touching during Brisbane-Sydney. Footage behind the closed ... more 'But I'm stepping into a space, now, that I haven't at this point. So, I'm just taking the next steps to explore it for myself, and obviously through the lens of one club at the moment,' he continued. 'I have kicked around with Tassie as well, to have a look at that. But that's been dormant for probably six months. So, that's as open as I can be about it. 'I'm going to be asked as I go along, and (I'll) have a microphone in front of me every second day, but I'm not going to be giving blow-by-blows (updates) on Melbourne's process on their system, on where we're at in terms of our communication. 'I could think one thing this evening and think something different tomorrow evening. 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