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Representative matches in Australian rules football are matches between representative teams played under the Australian rules, most notably of the colonies and later Australian states and territories that have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition in Australia and international matches meant that intercolonial and later interstate matches were regarded with great importance. Interstate matches were, in most cases, sanctioned and coordinated by the Australian National Football Councill Council (ANFC), which organised every national championship series from the first ever national carnival, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival in 1908 with the exception of the last ever series: the 1993 State of Origin Championships, which was run by the AFL Commission. The series took place on approximately three yearly intervals between 1908 and 1993; these were usually a fortnight long tournament staged in a single host city, although some – particularly those played in the 1980s – were based on the results of matches played in different cities throughout the year. Between 1937 and 1988, the player judged the best at each of these carnivals was awarded the Tassie Medal; and between 1953 and 1988, the selection of All Australian Teams was based on the player's performance during Australian Football Carnivals, and the team was named after each carnival concluded. Until June 1977, interstate Australian rules football games were played by teams representing the major football leagues or organisations, with players representing the state or territory they were playing in at the time. From October, 1977 until May, 1999, players were selected for their states under partial or full State of Origin selection rules. Football historian John Devaney has argued that "some of the state of origin contests which took place during the 1980s constituted arguably the finest expositions of the game ever seen". There have been no regular representative Australian rules football matches featuring players from the fully professional Australian Football League since 1999. Representatives matches continue to be played annually between teams representing the state or territorial leagues at the second tier or below. One senior women's State of Origin match was played in 2017. Representative matches are played at underage level as part of the men's and women's Underage National Championships, notably the AFL Under 19 Championships and AFL Women's Under 18 Championships. Throughout its pre–State of Origin history, Victoria, as represented by the Victorian Football League, was the dominant state in representative football, winning 16 of the 19 carnivals up until 1975. Competition was more even during the nine competitions held in the State of Origin selection era, with championships shared among Western Australia (4), South Australia (3) and Victoria (2).

Victoria, the birthplace of Australian rules and, with contributing factors such as population and finances, dominated the first hundred years of intercolonial and interstate football. This was the case in the first ever intercolonial representative match, held on Tuesday, 1 July 1879 (a public holiday), at East Melbourne Cricket Ground. The final score was Victoria (represented by the Victorian Football Association) 7.14 to South Australia 0.3. The match was attended by more than 10,000 people. The third and fourth teams to commence intercolonial competition were New South Wales and Queensland, playing each other in a two game series in Brisbane in 1884; the result of the series was a one all draw. Tasmania played its first game, against Victoria, in 1887. New Zealand (Maori) entered the competition with a draw against New South Wales in Sydney, on 29 June 1889. Victoria's long term dominance briefly faltered in the 1890s, when other Colonies recorded their first ever wins over the Victoria: South Australia in Adelaide in 1890 and 1891 and Tasmania in Hobart in 1893 (twice). In 1897, the new Victorian Football League split from the VFA, and the two selected separate representative teams, further weakening Victoria in intercolonial competition, which became interstate competition following Federation of the six British colonies in Australia, in 1901. Western Australia played its first two interstate games in 1904, including a win over South Australia in Adelaide. The Australasian Football Council was established 1906, and it assumed administration for interstate football. The VFL's dominance within Victoria was established by the time an interstate carnival was held for the first time – in Melbourne in 1908 – to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of "Australasian football" (as it was known at the time). The widening gap between the three major footballing States/leagues and the others was shown in the organisation of the competition: Victoria (represented by the VFL), South Australia and Western Australia constituted "Section A", and Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand constituted "Section B". The VFA did not take part and the carnival was New Zealand's last appearance in representative football. Victoria went through the competition undefeated. The second carnival was played in 1911, in Adelaide, which set the pattern of a carnival every three years. South Australia went undefeated and Victoria won three of their four matches. At the Sydney carnival of 1914, Victoria was once again undefeated. Following the onset of World War I interstate matches went into a five year hiatus. Throughout following decades, standalone interstate matches were held every year, and interstate carnivals were held usually every three years, with a few exceptions. In most carnivals following World War II, the stronger states competed separately from the minor states; and on many occasions the stronger states and minor states carnivals were held in separate locations or years. At the peak of its popularity, the carnival was known symbolically as "the Ashes" of Australian rules football. Victoria (VFL) continued its dominance in interstate football by winning 17 of the 20 carnivals held between the period 1908 to 1975, and usually winning the individual matches held every year. Some notable moments during this period were, the 1923 Victorian loss to South Australia, which was described as the state's worst ever defeat. The 1923 South Australian upset loss to an undermanned Tasmania. The championship deciding game of the 1924 carnival, between Victoria and Western Australia, was reported as being the roughest on record. Also in 1924 South Australia recorded the concepts highest winning score, winning by 268 points to defeat Queensland in Hobart. In the 1925 calendar year, Canberra played its first match against New South Wales. In 1923 & 1925 Victoria lost shock upsets to New South Wales. In 1927, in the Australia National Football Carnival Victoria beat Western Australia 11.10 to 10.12, in what has been described as one of the hardest and fiercest games fought in the history of the code. In 1928 Victoria and South Australia participated in the first drawn representative match: the visiting Victorians led for most of the match, with South Australia kicking three late goals to give the state the victory by a point; however, after the match, it was discovered that the scoreboard had failed to record one of Victoria's behinds, and the match was declared a draw.

In the second game between South Australia and Victoria after war, the states participated in the second representative draw, in a high scoring affair with the side locked in at 123 to 123 at full time. In 1948, Victoria played Western Australia for the first time in ten years, which Western Australia went on to win by 38 points, in what was described as a memorable victory. The Australian National Football Council expanded in 1949, which saw the Victoria Football Association and the Australian Amateur Football Council each re enter teams in carnival and interstate competitions. The Amateurs were frequent winners of the second division carnivals, and the VFA recorded an upset 8 point win against South Australia at the 1950 interstate carnival. The VFA overall had mixed results while readmitted back, with some wins over some of the main states, and large losses, Tasmania finished of the decade strongly, with two surprise carnival upsets over South Australia in 1956 and 1958 and Western Australia in 1958. In the first half of the 1960s saw a brief changing of the guard, with South Australia and Western Australia recording several wins over Victoria, and an upset win by Tasmania over Victoria in 1960, considered one of Tasmanian football's greatest moments. Also the 1963 Tasmanian victory over reigning interstate carnival champions Western Australia. Neil Kerley when coaching the South Australian team would engender a hatred for Victoria, telling his players that all Victorian umpires and players cheated. In the first half of the 1970s, there were some important games played: in 1970 Western Australia played Victoria in Melbourne, with the home side winning by six points. The match was notable because of a native born Western Australian player, playing for Victoria, being involved in the winning play. After the match with the result not taken well in the west, because of the observation that this had been a regular occurrence, it was first started being mentioned that games should be played on State of Origin criteria. After the game Western Australia began to negotiate for games to be played under State of Origin criteria. Games involving each of the other states soon followed. Western Australia and South Australia began to win more games against Victoria. A full interstate carnival under state of origin selection was held with success in October 1979 in Perth. A second carnival was held the following October in Adelaide, but it was a financial disaster for the organisers, with only 28,245 people attending the four games. Following this series, the VFL decided to not participate in any future carnivals, which put the future of the carnival concept in doubt. Between 1983 and 1987 there was a new format introduced, with only Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia competing, where each team would play each other once during the year, rather than in a standalone carnival, and with a points system and percentage used to declare the winner. Through this period, State of Origin football continued to be popular. However, after 1986, the concept began to wane in popularity in Western Australia, with the entrance of West Coast into the expanded Victorian Football League in 1987.

With sponsorship from Carlton and United Breweries and the support of South Australia, the Commission organised for a blockbuster match in 1989, the first between South Australia and Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since 1971. A record State of Origin crowd of 91,960 at the match (significantly exceeding the VFL's prediction of 70,000) signalled a strong return. The minor states carnival continued in 1989, although the Northern Territory withdrew due to financial reasons and because the carnival was played outside its conventional summer season timing. Ad hoc matches continued to be scheduled between 1989 and 1992 without a carnival. With the expansion of the Australian Football League into Western Australia in 1987 and South Australia in 1991, the top Victorian players were now playing football matches in those states every second week as part of club matches, and a major part of the representative football's appeal disappeared. The last interstate series recognised as a carnival was played in 1993; as a once off, the AFL season was shortened from 22 rounds to 20 to accommodate the carnival, and two new composite teams QLD/NT and NSW/ACT were introduced. However, from 1992 until 1994, unusual timeslots and high ticket prices made the games inaccessible to many spectators. In 1994, Graham Cornes criticised the Commission for its poor promotion of State of Origin in comparison with its rugby league equivalent, while also noting the negative impact that the nationalisation of the AFL had on interstate football's prestige. In the AFL Commission's five year plan released in August 1994, the Commission announced further plans to reinvigorate State of Origin, attempting to establish a competition to rival Rugby League's equivalent; this included setting aside a free week in the fixture, and introducing a new composite team to be known as the Allies to represent all states outside Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and be more competitive against them. Before a large crowd in 1995, between the Victoria and South Australia game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Ted Whitten, promoter of Victoria and State of Origin, was terminally ill with prostate cancer, and was paraded around the ground prior to the match, with Mariah Carey's Hero being played over the PA system, for his service to the concept and the game, in a moment which has been voted as the most memorable moment in the game's history. However, Tom Hafey noted an increase in clubs discouraging players from playing due to risk of injury, and an increasing reluctance from players themselves. There were two state of origin matches were played on a free weekend in the AFL season each year between 1995 and 1998, and they featured the same four teams: the Allies, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia – but aside from 1997 when a Victoria and South Australia game got a large crowd, low crowds and an annual $800,000 cost to stage the series persisted. Only one match was played in 1999, with Victoria 17.19 (121) defeating South Australia 10.7 (67) before a crowd of 26,063 in rainy conditions; it would prove to be the last state of origin game. The match dropped from the 2000 season because the season's compressed schedule – which saw it played a month earlier than usual to accommodate the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney – did not allow for the week's break; but state of origin never returned to the calendar thereafter.

There have been two once off representative matches played during the 21st century, each between Victoria and a single composite team representing the rest of Australia under state of origin selection rules. The first was the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match, held on a free weekend in 2008 as part of that season's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Australian rules football. The second was the State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match, a benefit match played during the 2020 preseason to raise funds for the recovery after the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.

At its peak, interstate matches were among the most important events on the annual football calendar in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The crowds drawn to interstate matches in those states regularly dwarfed home and away crowds, and at times throughout history would match or exceed grand final attendances. In Perth, interstate matches at the 1921 carnival, during the 1929 season, and at the 1937 carnival successively set records as Western Australia's highest ever sports crowd; the crowd of 40,000 drawn to that 1937 match was more than 10,000 higher than any previous Western Australian crowd and almost double the record club grand final crowd at that time. Likewise in Tasmania, carnival fixtures in 1924, 1947 and 1966 each set new Tasmanian state football attendance records, and the 1966 carnival crowd of 23,764 remains the third highest football attendance in Tasmania's history. State of Origin matches in the 1980s in South Australia and Western Australia regularly drew crowds between 30,000 and 50,000, on par with grand finals in those states during that era; and interstate matches in Tasmania consistently drew crowds which either exceeded or were second only to the Tasmanian league's grand final attendances. Interstate football was less popular in Victoria than it was in the other states. One match in Victoria in 1989 against South Australia set the national interstate football record crowd of 91,960, with 10,000 people turned away at the gate, on par with some large home and away games but lower than a typical finals attendance. But, at its lowest, interstate games in Victoria during the 1930s could sometimes fail to draw 10,000 spectators – less than the average home and away crowd – at a time when state record crowds were drawn to the matches elsewhere. Eventually, due to these lower levels of public interest, less interstate football came to be played in Victoria: for the majority of the 1980s, when State of Origin football was at its peak, the Victorian team did not play a single match at home. The record crowd of 91,960 in Melbourne in 1989 came after South Australia had beaten Victoria three years in a row, demonstrating that Victorian fans were willing to embrace interstate football when the rivalry and contests were closely fought. Amongst the competing states, the rivalry with Victoria was the strongest. Victoria's long term dominance of interstate football created a culture of disdain towards it; as a result, the most popular games always involved Victoria, and beating Victoria was considered the pinnacle of interstate football in South Australia and Western Australia. South Australia's rivalry towards Victoria was characterised during the 1980s with the slogan "Kick a Vic". Players from all states, including Victoria, viewed selection and participation in interstate football with great importance. Ted Whitten, who was widely noted for his involvement in and passion for the Victorian team described how "the players would walk on broken glass to wear the Victorian jumper". Graham Cornes, well known for his involvement in the South Australian team, always spoke equally proudly of the experience of representing his state. Comments from other players included:
Matthew Lloyd (Victoria) – immense pride – you feel like you walk a bit taller when you pull on the Big V.
Stephen O'Reilly (Western Australia) – State of Origin football is the pinnacle for AFL players. Andrew McKay (South Australia) – I never dreamt of playing VFL/AFL as a child, but I always dreamt of playing for my state. Graham Cornes (South Australia) – pulling the South Australian jumper on is like a dream come true. Tony Lockett (Victoria), who commented after he won the E. J. Whitten Medal – this will probably go down as one of the happiest days of my life, and I'll treasure it forever.

The State of Origin eligibility rules varied from game to game, and matches during the 1980s were sometimes played under partial, rather than full, State of Origin rules. This was in large part so that neutral leagues were not disrupted by a stand alone game between two other states; e. g. VFL clubs would not lose access to interstate origin players on the weekend of a game between South Australia and Western Australia. For example, in the stand alone 1982 match between South Australia and Victoria, a quota of up to six VFL players of South Australian origin, and no more than one from any VFL club, could play for South Australia; but otherwise, all SANFL and VFL players were eligible to play for South Australia and Victoria respectively – indeed Victoria fielded five VFL players of Western Australian origin in that match, including their captain, Mike Fitzpatrick. Jason Dunstall and Terry Daniher, who were born in and recruited from Queensland and New South Wales respectively, both played several partial origin matches for Victoria; and in a partial origin match against Victoria in 1990. New South Wales was allowed to be represented by players of New South Welsh origin and any player who had played for the Sydney Swans and Queensland was allowed to be represented by players of Queensland origin and any player who had played for the Brisbane Bears/Lions. Changes made in 1990 set a player's state of origin based on his registered state at age 15. Roger Merrett has played for and captained both Victoria (1984) and Queensland (1991).

Greg Champion wrote a song, "Don't Let The Big V Down", about the traditional navy blue jumper with a large white V used to represent Victoria in state games. The song is about a young man who is about to play his first state game and is approached by another man, who is Ted Whitten, and tells him to not let the Big V down. Champion also wrote another song, "Came From Adelaide", about two people watching a game between South Australia and Victoria. One of them turns to the other and says that the Croweaters cannot play. The other replies that this is not true and that the South Australians are great.

Representative Football Team Award Allies (Men) Alex Jesaulenko Medal Allies (Women) All Stars Amateurs Australian Capital Territory Dream Team Indigenous All Stars New South Wales New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory New Zealand Northern Territory Queensland Queensland/Northern Territory South Australia Fos Williams Medal Tasmania Lefroy Medal Victoria (VFL) E. J. Whitten Medal Victoria (VFA) Western Australia Simpson Medal (1948–1991), Graham Moss Medal (1995–1998)

Year & Carnival NameCompeting Australian National Football Carnival TeamsAustralian National Football Carnival Matches played under State of Residence rules 1908 Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival New South Wales New Zealand Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1911 Adelaide Carnival New South Wales South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1914 Sydney Football Carnival New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1921 Perth Football Carnival South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1924 Hobart Football Carnival South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1927 Melbourne Football Carnival New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1930 Adelaide Football Carnival New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1933 Sydney Football Carnival New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1937 Perth Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1947 Hobart Football Carnival Canberra New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1950 Brisbane Football Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1953 Adelaide Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1956 Perth Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1958 Centenary Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1960 Minor States Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Western Australia 1961 Brisbane Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1966 Hobart Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1968 Minor States Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales Queensland 1969 Adelaide Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1972 Perth Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA) Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1974 Minor States Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales Queensland 1975 Knockout Football Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia Australian National Football Carnival Matches played under State of Origin rules 1979 State of Origin Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales North. Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1980 State of Origin Carnival South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 1983 Australian Football Championships South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1984 Australian Football Championships South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1985 Australian Football Championships South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1986 Australian Football Championships South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1987 Australian Football Championships South Australia Victoria Western Australia 1988 Bicentennial Carnival Amateurs Canberra New South Wales North. Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria (VFA Victoria (VFL) Western Australia 1993 State of Origin Championships New South Wales/ACT Queensland/North. Territory South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia

The rivalry between Victoria and South Australia was considered the strongest in state football. Although there is a bitter rivalry on both sides, the make up of the rivalry is slightly different: for Victoria, being the most successful state in interstate football, it meant that protecting that reputation was of prominent importance; for South Australia, the rivalry stemmed from dislike, and the feeling that Victorians did not give the state the respect it deserved. Many footballers described beating Victoria as one of the top achievements in South Australian football. Neil Kerley ranked beating Victoria above his club premierships. Victorian footballers have commented on the passion and hatred directed towards them in interstate games played in Adelaide. Garry Lyon described the fans as "hostile and maniacal" and "by the time the games came around they were whipped into a frenzy". Paul Roos commented about the first state game he played in South Australia that "when walking up the entrance and onto Football Park was an experience in itself. I quickly realised how much hatred existed towards Victorians and their football."

There is also an intense rivalry between Victoria and Western Australia. The Victorian and Western Australian rivalry was summarised in the early part of the 20th century as a friendly rivalry. This was evident in the first match between Victoria and Western Australia in Melbourne in 1904, where, before the game, the home Victorians put on a function for the two sides as a welcome. The function was reported to be well received by both sides. This is in contrast to the previous year's Victoria vs South Australia game in Melbourne, where no such function was held. Some games widely regarded as some of the best in the history of Australian football were played between Victoria and Western Australia in the 1980s. Shane Parker, a former Western Australia player, said of the rivalry: "When I was a kid, the State of Origin games were the greatest ever. It was a really big thing to see the WA side play, particularly against Victoria."

There was an intense rivalry between Western Australia and South Australia, with fans at games between the states always vociferous and parochial.

Queensland and New South Wales are the two states where rugby football is most popular, having a rivalry in Rugby League and Rugby Union which is reflected in their encounters in Australian rules, having been evenly matched since they first met in the 1880s. While Queensland has shied away from competing in carnivals that include the stronger states, the neighbouring states have played, at times, annually. The gap narrowed until the 1970s, after which, on the few occasions they have met, Queensland has once again had the upper hand. State of origin matches between the two states in the 1980s were promoted to capitalise on the popularity of state of origin in Rugby League.

For most of the 20th century, there was a national football carnival usually held every three to five years. Some of the carnivals the format consisted of qualification matches at the start of the tournament, with the winners playing off in a final. In some other carnivals the format was a round robin format, with a points system in which the team with most points at the end of the tournament was declared the winner. The national football carnival was played under the State of Residence rules from 1908 to 1975, and then played under the State of Origin rules from 1979 to 1993. Year & Carnival Name Carnival Host City/Cities Australian National Football Carnival Winners Tassie Medallist TeamCarnival Winner (Sect. A) Carnival Winner (Sect. B)Matches played under State of Residence rules 1908 Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival Melbourne Victoria Tasmania — 1911 Adelaide Carnival Adelaide South Australia — 1914 Sydney Football Carnival Sydney Victoria — 1921 Perth Football Carnival Perth Western Australia — 1924 Hobart Football Carnival Hobart Victoria — 1927 Melbourne Football Carnival Melbourne Victoria — 1930 Adelaide Football Carnival Adelaide Victoria — 1933 Sydney Football Carnival Sydney Victoria — 1937 Perth Football Carnival Perth Victoria Mick Cronin (WAFL) 1947 Hobart Football Carnival Hobart Victoria Tasmania Les McClementsBob Furler (WAFL)(ACTAFL) 1950 Brisbane Football Carnival Brisbane Victoria (VFL) Amateurs Terry Cashion (TANFL) 1953 Adelaide Football Carnival Adelaide Victoria (VFL) Merv McIntosh (WAFL) 1956 Perth Football Carnival Perth Victoria (VFL) Graham Farmer (WAFL) 1958 Centenary Carnival Melbourne Victoria (VFL) Amateurs Allen AylettTed Whitten (VFL)(VFL) 1960 Minor States Carnival Canberra/Sydney Victoria (VFA) — 1961 Brisbane Football Carnival Brisbane Western Australia Brian Dixon (WAFL) 1966 Hobart Football Carnival Hobart Victoria (VFL) Barry Cable (WAFL) 1968 Minor States Carnival Canberra Amateurs — 1969 Adelaide Football Carnival Adelaide Victoria Peter EakinsGraham Molloy (WAFL)(SANFL) 1972 Perth Football Carnival Perth Victoria Ken McAullay (WAFL) 1974 Minor States Carnival Sydney Queensland — 1975 Knockout Football Carnival Adelaide/Melbourne Victoria — Matches played under State of Origin rules 1979 State of Origin Carnival Perth Western Australia Queensland Brian Peake (WAFL) 1980 State of Origin Carnival Adelaide Victoria Graham Cornes (SANFL) 1983 Australian Football Championships Adelaide/Perth Western Australia Stephen Michael (WAFL) 1984 Australian Football Championships Adelaide/Perth Western Australia Brad Hardie (WAFL) 1985 Australian Football Championships Adelaide/Perth Victoria Dale Weightman (VFL) 1986 Australian Football Championships Adelaide/Perth South Australia Brad Hardie (WAFL) 1987 Australian Football Championships Adelaide/Perth Western Australia Mark Naley (SANFL) 1988 Bicentennial Carnival Adelaide South Australia Northern Territory Paul Salmon (VFL) 1993 State of Origin Championships Adelaide/Hobart/Melbourne South Australia Queensland/North. Territory —