The AFL have heard the calls from Victorian and All Stars coaches Damien Hardwick and John Longmire to alter the selection criteria for the one-off charity game.
The AFL previously required clubs to put forward three players each for selection but have now lowered that number to just one player for both Victoria and the All-Stars. This adjustment will mean that anywhere up to five players from a club can be selected for the clash.
Longmire and Hardwick were determined not to have the big names miss out because of this criteria and met at AFL House last week to start the selection process.
Hardwick recounted arriving at the meeting early to discover Longmire was already there.
"I walk in and we were meant to have a meeting at 2pm and 'Horse' is already up in the meeting room at 1.50pm and he's got his side already up," Hardwick toldย AFL.com.au.ย
"It was great, 'Horse' is a great character. He's one of those guys I generally gravitate to because he's got a great sense of humour. He's one of those gentlemen you'd really love to work with and it's a privilege to coach against him as well."
AFL general manager of football Steve Hocking said the league owed the fans the opportunity to see the best players on the night.
"Once we sat down with the coaches to discuss the teams it was clear we had a responsibility to have the best players in the competition play and make the State of Origin match the competitive showcase for the fans," he said.
Superstar Tiger Dustin Martin is the first player confirmed to be taking part in the February 28 clash at Marvel Stadium, with full teams to be announced on Tuesday at 12pm AEST.
The coaching panels have also been revealed with the two head coaches to share the box with some of the games best thinkers, Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn), Adam Kingsley (Richmond), Dean Solomon (Gold Coast), Robert Harvey (Collingwood) will flank Hardwick for the Victorians.
Longmire will be supported by Gold Coast senior coach Stuart Dew, Port Adelaide assistant Michael Voss, GWS assistant Mark McVeigh, Western Bulldogs assistant Joel Corey and Sydney assistant Dean Cox.
