Potential models for State of Origin

I think these are the best proposals I've seen. Apologies to those who came up with these, who I haven't credited.

3 teams (Vic, WA, SA)

One game is played every year.

The winner of the game plays again next year.

The loser of the game sits out next year’s game and is replaced by the team that didn’t play.

Summary: each year, a different team gets a chance to knock off the reigning champions. If you lose, you take a year off.

4 teams (Vic, WA, SA, Allies)

There are two brackets.

The winner of the top bracket wins the State of Origin. The loser is relegated to the second bracket for next year’s game.

The winner of the second bracket is promoted for next year’s game.

5 teams (Vic, WA, SA, Qld, NSW)

The winner of the top bracket wins the State of Origin. The loser is relegated to the second bracket for next year’s game.

The winner of the second bracket is promoted for next year’s game. The loser of the second bracket sits out next year’s tournament.

Each year, the team that didn’t play last year is subbed in to the bottom bracket.

Outcome: Stakes of the bottom bracket are quite high. If you win, you get a chance at the top prize next year. If you lose, you take a year off.

26 teams (all AFL teams + 5 state teams + Allies)

3 teams, drawn by lottery, play in an opening round (Round -1).

A random number generator selects another number of teams to play in the second opening round (Round 0).

The loser of the second opening round takes on the winner of the previous year’s State of Origin. The winner of this match is promoted to First Division while the team with the most points is promoted to Division A.

All other teams are relegated for between one and twenty years (depending on their points total) except for the winner of the Closing Round, who takes on the loser of Opening Round 2 in a Wildcard Round (Round X). 

The loser of Round X players the winner of Round 0 after which an unknown event (The Anomaly) occurs.