State of Origin returning to Ocean Grove

STATE of Origin football returns to Ocean Grove on the weekend of July 1-2 with two talented junior programs going head to head in a celebration of football’s next generation of stars.

AFL Junior State of Origin will again take place between the Ocean Grove Cobras (Victoria) and the Glebe Greyhounds (New South Wales) for a fifth time, featuring close to 250 boys and girls aged between seven and 16 years.

“The AFL Junior State of Origin is not just a football carnival; it is an opportunity to unite our community and make a meaningful difference in the lives of families affected by SIDS,” Cobras president Aaron White said.

AFL Junior State of Origin raises vital genetic research funding for Geelong-based charity, River’s Gift, in the fight to stamp out Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

“By supporting River’s Gift and their crucial research efforts, we are working towards a future where no parent has to experience the heartbreak of losing a child to SIDS,” the president said.

Next month’s State of Origin aims to raise $30,000 with the assistance of significant business sponsorship, all of which will go to the research team at the University of South Australia.

“We are grateful to the Cobras and the Ocean Grove community for hosting this event and showing their unwavering support for the AFL Junior State of Origin and River’s Gift,” co-founder of River’s Gift Karl Waddell said.

“Their commitment and generosity will help us further our research and move closer to our vision of a world free from SIDS.”

The weekend will feature several off-field festivities including face painting, food stalls, merchandise stands, licensed drink sales, and for the first time since the event’s inception in 2017, a parent’s game will be played on the Saturday (July 1).