Port Adelaide coach Josh Carr says he's "nervous" about the AFL Origin match on the eve of the season as South Australia gets re-introduced to the representative concept.
The return of AFL Origin in February was deemed a raging success, with a packed-out Optus Stadium witnessing the Big V down Western Australia in a high-scoring, fast-paced contest.
However, there were casualties, with multiple players going down, including GWS key defender and All-Australian Sam Taylor.
The Giant missed the first half of the season with a serious hamstring injury, playing his first game in Round 12.
The AFL has pushed back the Origin clash between SA and WA to February 27 (previously Feb 14) to accommodate players spending more time at clubs during the pre-season after they return from the Christmas break.
Carr, who recently spent time in the UK with Sunderland, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City, said there are still nerves about when players participate in these games, and with South Australia on deck, he can expect a few Port Adelaide players to be included.
“That's one thing I learnt, you know, when I went overseas, is that they don't have any say about what their players do when they go to internationals," he said.
"They come back, and they have injuries and have to deal with it. They don't have communication about how much game time or anything like that. So, I know the AFL likes to work with the coaches and make sure they're doing what's best for clubs as well.
"So, I think it's a bit of a two-way communication and agreement. Yeah, you get a little bit worried or nervous when the players are out there. You just hope that they get through.”
Taylor wasn't the only injury to come from the game, with Matt Rowell (finger), Jacob Weitering (ribs), Callum Ah Chee (hamstring) and Mitch Georgiades (hamstring) suffering setbacks.
AFL boss Andrew Dillon flagged potential changes to the game halfway through 2026 when confirming the three-year future of Origin.
"One of the best bits of feedback we got was that the players wanted to spend more time together as a group," Dillon said when announcing the return of Origin for the next three years.
"I think what we'll see is there will be a different build-up for the players, and we'll work through what's actually best for the game and best for the players.
"If that meant shortening the quarters slightly, then we'll definitely look at that, and that's part of the feedback that we've got.
"We'll deal with the experts, the high-performance teams of all of the clubs. They'll be the ones that we'll take the advice from."
Collingwood premiership coach Craig McRae is tipped to lead the South Australian side when it faces Western Australia at Optus Stadium.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is tipped to replace Sydney's Dean Cox as the coach of the Western Australian side for the upcoming AFL Origin match slated for February next year.
Geelong dual premiership coach Chris Scott led Victoria this year.
