STATE-OF-ORIGIN football.Unfortunately, there is little future for what was onceand still could be a showcase of the game.In an ideal world, state-of-origin matches would be great to have on the calendar.I’d have them every three years and have the Victorians playing an all-stars team.The Big V is what the majority of fans would want to see and having it matched up against the best all other states and territories have to offer would be the only way to go.The old rivalries with South Australia and Western Australia have not been the same since those states had a full-time presence in the AFL.In the old days when VFL clubs pillaged the cream of SA, WA and Tasmanian talent, those states could not wait to get their own players back together to show just how good they were.Of course, there was nothing like beating Victoria — as rarely as it happened.There was a deep, meaningful passion in those matches.This passion ebbed and flowed over the years, but largelydisappeared with the passing of Ted ‘‘Mr Football’’ Whitten.I unfortunately have never worn the Big V.I went close in 2008 — the last time the Big V was rolled out.I was an emergency for the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match, a one-off game to celebrate the 150thanniversary of Australian rules football.Almost 70,000 people flocked to the MCG to see the MarkThompson-coached Victoria defeat a ‘‘Dream Team’’, 21.11 (137) to 18.12 (120).How I would have loved to be out there in the thick of it.While I missed out, just being part of the squad was a great thrill.It is one thing to play against the greats of the game, it is a different experience all together to get a chance to rub shoulders with them as teammates.That is something that will also stay with me.For all this though, it just is not going to happen. It is all just too hard to make work.Club interests must come first — no matter what time of the year.The biggest fear for clubs in representative games is injury to their stars.With the pace of the game stepping up all the time andplayers struggling to stand up to the physical demands, clubs do not want to put them at risk.There is far too much at stake.Imagine the uproar if the Nick Riewoldt hamstring injury had occurred in an interstate match.The risks are just too great for all involved.As much as I would want to wear the Big V if the opportunity arose, I’d be gutted if I was seriously injured.I could not imagine missing a premiership because of an injury suffered outside my commitments with Hawthorn.The pride of the Big V now sits with the state-based VFL, which can hopefully beat WA in Perth today.Best of luck to the Roosters boys.And now my little brother has another one over me.