Dean Cox has admitted Western Australia will be underdogs when they face Victoria in next year's AFL State of Origin match. The clash, scheduled for February 14 in Perth, will be the first men's State of Origin game since 1999.
Cox, who will coach the WA side, said he is proud to lead the team. 'I'm a proud Western Australian and grew up watching State of Origin footy, so this is a real privilege to lead the team in February against the Vics,' Cox said in a statement.
The Sydney Swans coach acknowledged the challenge ahead. 'We have a very strong contingent of WA boys playing at the top level so it's not going to be easy to pick a side, but we feel we will take it right up to Victoria.'
Victoria will be coached by two-time premiership winner Chris Scott, who led Geelong to flags in 2011 and 2022. The two playing squads will be announced in the coming months, with players selected based on the junior club from which they were drafted.
Victoria and Western Australia have not played each other in State of Origin since 1992. Both coaches will select three assistant coaches and a high-performance manager ahead of the match.
