Gold Coast coach Hardwick slams AFL preseason State of Origin timing

Gold Coast Suns senior coach Damien Hardwick said the revived AFL State of Origin match, staged three weeks before the season opener, “puts clubs behind the eight ball” and criticised its timing. He highlighted early‑season injuries, noting that Brownlow Medalist Matt Rowell hurt his hand in the clash and that “we saw this year the amount of players that got injured at the start of the year.”

Hardwick, a former Port Adelaide premiership player who coached the 2020 bush‑fire relief Origin game, urged the league to rethink the fixture. He added that the concept will involve South Australia playing Western Australia at Optus Stadium next year, with further games slated for 2028 and 2029. Collingwood coach Craig McRae was identified as a potential South Australian coach for the future match.