AFL State of Origin: Counting down the top eight moments ahead of historic return

8. 1984 - Kernahan’s 10

Considered one of the greatest games ever, Victoria triumphed by four points despite a monumental effort of a 20-year-old Stephen Kernahan.

Under the new lights at Football Park the South Australian kicked 10 goals, but somehow it wasn’t enough to get the Croweaters over the line as they lost narrowly 108-104 in what is one of the greatest ever performances in a losing side.

It was also a sign of things to come, as three years later, he would be premiership skipper at Carlton.

7. 1984 - Ablett’s 8

After Kernahan’s 10 in a losing effort, Gary Ablett Senior would also have a coming of age that same year, despite going down kicking eight goals only for Victoria to lose a thriller by four points.

He was a shock selection, having only played nine games for Geelong at that point but laid down a marker of what was to come, helping Victoria storm back in the final quarter.

But a sixth goal to Gary Sidebottom and a masterclass by Brad Hardie, who collected both the Tassie and Simpson medals, ensured WA would claim back to back Australian Championships triumphs.

6. 1989 - The Stars align

While Saturday’s match will see the likes of Nick Daicos, Maruc Bontempelli, Matt Rowell and Max Gawn share the field, Victoria’s 1989 squad has them covered in what may well be the greatest team ever assembled.

Gary Ablett, Gary Ayres, Garry Lyon, Paul Roos, Dermott Brereton, Tony Lockett, Jason Dunstall, all captained by Simon Madden, not to mention the likes of Jim Stynes and Robert DiPierdomenico, also featured.

Unsurprisingly, they were comfortable winners in both matches against South Australia and WA as 92,000 fans packed the MCG to witness a powerhouse team.

5. 1991 - The last win

It’s a bittersweet clash that represented WA’s last Origin triumph over Victoria, as what was essentially a West Coast side coached by Mick Malthouse smashed them by 76 points in torrential rain.

Paul Harding was awarded the Simpson medal, while Chris Mainwaring and Glen Jakovich dominated, but Malthouse was critical of the match in the aftermath of the Eagles falling apart to Hawthorn in the grand final later that year.

He believed the Eagles had focused too hard on the match, and it helped speed up the decline of Origin with the Eagles reprioritising AFL success.

4. 1983 - Gary Buckenara’s heroics

Gary Buckenara could lay claim to being WA’s greatest hero as help his state claim a thrilling three-point victory.

Trailing by 21 points midway through the final quarter, the game looked gone, only for Buckenara to lift WA on his shoulders with a seven-goal haul, having also been the leading possession getter with 28 touches.

However, Maurice Rioli would pip him for the Simpson medal in what captain Ross Glendinning described as Origin’s “peak”.

“It was a lot of skill, a lot of pressure compared to the standard of game you were playing in home-and-away,” he said

3. 1977 - WA’s upset

The first-ever clash was a walkover that few saw coming as WA annihilated Victoria to the tune of 94 points at Subiaco Oval.

The first quarter score read 6.5 (41) to 0.0 (0) and was justification of Leon Larkin’s push for the format to showcase just how much Victoria had diluted elite WAFL talent.

Coached by Graham “Polly” Farmer and led by Graham Moss, the thumping victory not only kicked off Origin but laid the groundwork for getting the VFL to be a national competition.

2. 1995 - Ted Whitten farewell

It is one of sport’s most emotional moments as the man known as ‘Mr Football’ was farewelled as Ted Whitten made his final public appearance, having revealed he was suffering from prostate cancer.

Before Victoria’s eventual win over South Australia, Whitten, who had gone blind from a stroke, was given a lap of honour around the MCG, accompanied by his son Ted, to a standing ovation while he also shared handhsakes with both sets of players.

Just two months later, the Footscray and Victorian legend would pass away, but his farewell remains one of Australian sports most poignant and memorable moments.

That same year, Western Oval would be renamed Whitten Oval in his honour.

1. 1986 - The greatest of them all

The 1986 clash between WA and Victoria is something of a touchstone, being the last Origin clash before West Coast entered the VFL, and in essence, the last true State of Origin game before the VFL truly became a national competition.

It’s therefore fitting it’s considered one of, if not the greatest, Australian Football games of all time.

For most of the day, WA had largely controlled the contest thanks to Briane Peake’s seven-goal haul before the game truly came to life in the fourth quarter.

Victoria charged back to gain the lead, which would change seven times throughout the last stanza. Andrew Bews looked to have sealed the game for the Vics only for Gary Buckanera’s fifth to put WA in front by three points in the final minutes.

With one last roll of the dice, Brian Royal, who already kicked five, was running in on goal only for Wayne Blackwell to dive across his boot and save the game and win WA the Australian championship.

Brad Hardie was awarded the Simpson Medal in the 21.11 (137) to 20.14 (134) humdinger with Maruice Rioli, Phil Narkle and Laurie Keene all playing key roles.