2026 AFL Origin

2026 AFL Origin
Western Australia Victoria 15.11 (101) 18.17 (125)
1 2 3 4 WA 3.1 (19) 8.4 (52) 11.6 (72) 15.11 (101) VIC 6.3 (39) 11.8 (74) 15.11 (101) 18.17 (125)
Date	14 February 2026
Stadium	Optus Stadium
Attendance	58,141
Favourite	Victoria

The 2026 AFL Origin match was an Australian rules football match held in accordance with State of Origin selection criteria between two representative sides organised by the Australian Football League (AFL).

It was played on 14 February 2026 at Optus Stadium in Perth, between Western Australia and Victoria. The match, which was organised in partnership with the West Australian government, was Western Australia's first appearance in a state of origin match since 1998, Victoria's first since 2020, and the first match between the two states since 1992. ^[1]

Attended by a sold-out crowd of 58,141 spectators, the contest was won by Victoria by 24 points. ^[2] The success of the match, in terms of player participation and spectator interest, led to calls to make representative football an annual occasion at the start of each AFL season. ^[3]

Teams

The AFL staggered the names of players selected for the two teams over the off-season. On 14 November 2025, the AFL announced the first group of eight players to compete for the Western Australian and Victorian teams, which included club captains Patrick Cripps (Western Australia) and Marcus Bontempelli (Victoria). ^[4]

Players were, in most cases, eligible to play for the state they were drafted from, along with the state they played the majority of their junior football. ^[5] Brisbane Lions star midfielder Will Ashcroft, despite captaining Victoria at junior level and being drafted from the state, was ruled ineligible for selection due to being part of the league's Gold Coast Suns Academy program. ^{[6] [7]} Melbourne forward Kysaiah Pickett, who was drafted from the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club in South Australia and did not play his junior football in Western Australia, was selected for Western Australia on the basis that he was predominantly raised in Quairading, and identified as a Noongar man. ^[8]

Both teams had late withdrawals due to injuries, with Brandon Starcevich withdrawn for Western Australia ^[9] and Jeremy Cameron for Victoria. ^[10] Guernsey numbers were announced on 9 February 2026, with most players allocated the numbers that they wore at their respective clubs; however, as there were several cases of multiple players wearing the same number, a rule was instigated where if multiple players requested the same number, the deciding factor was the number of games played in that number. ^{[11] [12]}

Western Australia Coach: Dean Cox (Sydney) No. Player Club 1. Jaeger O'Meara Fremantle 2. Luke Jackson Fremantle 3. Stephen Coniglio Greater Western Sydney 4. Callum Ah Chee Adelaide 5. Chad Warner Sydney 6. Jordan Clark Fremantle 7. Rory Lobb Western Bulldogs 8. Shai Bolton Fremantle 9. Patrick Cripps (c) Carlton 10. Bradley Hill St Kilda 14. Darcy Cameron Collingwood 15. Sam Taylor Greater Western Sydney 17. Lawson Humphries Geelong 19. Mitch Georgiades Port Adelaide 21. Jesse Hogan Greater Western Sydney 23. Charlie Cameron Brisbane Lions 24. Trent Rivers Melbourne 27. Wil Powell Gold Coast 33. Aaron Naughton Western Bulldogs 35. Nathan Broad Richmond 36. Kysaiah Pickett Melbourne 37. Tom Barrass Hawthorn 44. Tim English Western Bulldogs 45. Jake Waterman West Coast 48. Liam Baker West Coast — [13] Brandon Starcevich West Coast

Victoria Coach: Chris Scott (Geelong) No. Player Club 1. Toby Greene Greater Western Sydney 2. Jack Sinclair St Kilda 3. Caleb Serong Fremantle 4. Marcus Bontempelli (c) Western Bulldogs 6. Hugh McCluggage Brisbane Lions 7. Zach Merrett Essendon 8. Nick Daicos Collingwood 9. Zak Butters Port Adelaide 10. Sam Darcy Western Bulldogs 11. Max Gawn Melbourne 12. Lachie Ash Greater Western Sydney 13. Blake Hardwick Hawthorn 14. Max Holmes Geelong 15. Noah Anderson Gold Coast 18. Matt Rowell Gold Coast 19. Jack Gunston Hawthorn 20. Ed Richards Western Bulldogs 23. Jacob Weitering Carlton 24. Josh Battle Hawthorn 25. Sam Collins Gold Coast 33. Bailey Smith Geelong 34. Ben King Gold Coast 35. Patrick Dangerfield Geelong 38. Tristan Xerri North Melbourne 44. Tom Stewart Geelong — [14] Jeremy Cameron Geelong

Scorecard

	2026 AFL Origin
Saturday, 14 February 4:40 pm (AWST)	Western Australia	def. by	Victoria	Optus Stadium (crowd: 58,141)	[15] [16] [17]
	3.1 (19) 8.4 (52) 11.6 (72) 15.11 (101)	Q1 Q2 Q3 Final	6.3 (39) 11.8 (74) 15.11 (101) 18.17 (125)	Umpires: Meredith, Meyer, Mollison, Stephens [18] Graham Moss Medal (Western Australia) & E.J. Whitten Medal (Victoria): Jesse Hogan (Western Australia) & Lachie Ash (Victoria)
Hogan 5 Cameron 3 Waterman, Jackson 2 Warner, Hill, Bolton 1		Goals	King 4 Merrett, McCluggage, Greene, Dangerfield 2 Xerri, Smith, Serong, Daicos, Butters, Bontempelli 1
Hogan, Warner, Barrass, Hill, Baker, Bolton		Best	Daicos, Bontempelli, Serong, King, Butters, Ash, Stewart
Georgiades (hamstring), Taylor (hamstring), Ah Chee (hamstring)		Injuries	Weitering (shoulder/ribs), Rowell (finger)
As the winning team, Victoria was awarded the Graham 'Polly' Farmer Cup, a trophy introduced by the AFL to recognise the achievements of the late Polly Farmer, who played 356 games in the WAFL and the VFL between 1953 and 1971, and is a legend in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. [19]

Medel ceremony

The Graham moss medal went to Jesse Hogan. Other contenders included Warner, Barrass, Hill, Baker and Bolton.

The E.J Whitten Medal went to Lachie Ash, however, People online said that daicos should of won because he had the most disposals at 38 and seven clearances. ^[20] Other contenders included Daicos, Bontempelli, Serong, King, Butters and Stewart ^[21]

See also

• 2026 AFL season
• Interstate matches in Australian rules football
• List of VFL/AFL and AFL Women's players from Western Australia

References

1. Peter Ryan (26 February 2020). "Inside the 'Big V' meeting that signalled state of origin's demise". The Age.
2. Catherine Healey (14 February 2026). "Star-studded Vics survive five-goal hero Hogan's WA fightback in Origin showdown". Fox Sports.
3. Roy Ward & Danny Russell (14 February 2026). "Stars call for AFL Origin to continue after Victoria beat WA but injuries still an issue". The Age.
4. "First batch of eight players unveiled for AFL Origin return". AFL Media. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
5. Ashcroft annoyed at being ruled ineligible to represent Big V By Nicholas Quinlan Young for SEN.com.au 28 December 2025
6. ‘Played here since I was 14’: Ashcroft ‘pretty pissed’ over Origin snub after Dees star cleared from Fox Sports
7. “Pretty pissed” AFL star denied Origin chance amid selection criteria queries by Mitch Keating for Zero Hanger 29 December 2025
8. "Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett granted unexpected State of Origin eligibility". Wide World of Sports. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
9. Noakes, Cameron (4 February 2026). "AFL State of Origin full squads confirmed as West Coast scratches Brandon Starcevich". Seven Network.
10. Twomey, Callum (8 February 2026). "Geelong superstar ruled out of AFL Origin". AFL.com.au. 1116 SEN.
11. "Bont v Toby, Serong v Smith: Who pulled rank in Origin's number battle?". AFL Media. 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
12. "Bont v Toby, Serong v Smith: Who pulled rank in Origin's number battle?". afl.com.au. 9 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
13. "Flag winner out, five new faces in as WA finalises Origin squad". afl.com.au. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
14. Black, Sarah (9 February 2026). "Cameron ruled out of Origin, Sun gets call-up". afl.com.au. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
15. Nathan Schmook (14 February 2026). "Victoria overcomes spirited WA in enthralling Origin clash". afl.com.au.
16. Jake Santa Maria (14 February 2026). "AFL State of Origin live scores: Western Australia and Victoria reignite historic rivalry". The West Australian.
17. Dean Bilton (14 February 2026). "AFL State of Origin returns in style as Victoria holds off WA, Jacob Weitering taken to hospital". ABC News.
18. "AFL Origin: Three Victorians, no West Aussies as umpires revealed for Optus Stadium clash". The West Australian. 12 February 2026.(subscription required)
19. "AFL confirms medal and trophy appointments for 2026 AAMI AFL Origin". afl.com.au. 9 February 2026.
20. Pierik, Jon (14 February 2026). "State of Origin player rankings: Was Nick Daicos snubbed for best-afield honours?". The Age. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
21. "Victoria overcomes spirited WA in enthralling Origin clash". afl.com.au. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.

External links

• AFL Origin at afl.com.au
• Match Report : https://www.afl.com.au/news/1464987/victoria-overcomes-spirited-western-australia-in-enthralling-aami-afl-origin-clash