TEAM pride and performance rather than State loyalty will be on the line today as footballers across the country suit up for representative footy.
Among them, a host of senior and junior Indigenous players.
NSW/ACT will play Queensland/NT on the Gold Coast, Tasmania and Victoria will clash in Hobart and South Australia and Western Australia will do battle in Adelaide in a big day for interstate football.
Each of the second-tier leagues -- SANFL, WAFL, TSL, VFL, and the new NEAFL -- are forr the first time having concurrent byes for the annual clashes.
While teams will be wearing State guernseys, the matches are not state of origin; that is, players will be representing the league in which they play in.
AFL general manager national development Andrew Dillon is anticipating a high standard of football.
"For the first time state league players have the chance to play in a structured representative format," he said.
"It will be a great opportunity to see the best players outside the AFL.
"AFL recruiters will be watching closely; last year 37 mature-aged players were drafted from state leagues."
In addition to the senior sides playing today, under-18s and -21s wil raise the curtain for the league sides.
In Adelaide, Anthony Wilson (Port Adelaide), Josh Wittwer (Central District) and Matty Rankine (West Adelaide) will represent SA in the under-18s match with WA.
Eddie Sansbury (SA) and Graham Jetta (WA) will face off in their respective league sides today.
The last time the two States clashed was in 2009 when WA held off their rivals by one point in Perth.
WA will play Victoria next year.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Saturday 26 May 2012
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 26/05/2012 13:25