So, Friday week the bushfire relief match is coming up, Victoria v Allies. Part of the AFL's creditable efforts (more than tokenistic in my view) to respond to the crisis that hit Australia this summer. I didn't follow football so closely last time there was a State of Origin and I don't think I have ever seen one. Can anyone tell me what to expect? And will this be a 'real' state of origin given that 'Allies' is not a state? Who's excited, who doesn't care?

The match will start at 7.50 pm Friday 28 February at Marvel Stadium. There will be an AFLW match Collingwood v Melbourne played as a curtain raiser from 5.40 pm beforehand.

Each club will have 1-5 players involved in the match. Originally the rule was that there was a limit to three players per club but the rule got tweaked at the last minute at the coaches' request so that more of the best players could be involved: WATCH: Early Horse catches Dimma out: Why the SOO rules changed. It's interesting to speculate which clubs will be most heavily represented: Richmond? Eagles? Giants? Brisbane? Geelong?? Presumably at least one club will have five players selected. Given that Isaac Heeney and Luke Parker recently featured talking about their own recent experience with the bushfires at Manyana in a video that doubled as a bit of promotion for the match, I am tipping both of them to be selected (for the Allies and Victoria respectively). Hopefully Dane Rampe will get a run for the Allies too.

John Longmire will coach the 'Allies'. Dean Cox will be one of his assistants. Stuart Dew is another. I was impressed to see that Clarko will be assisting Dimma coach the Vics. There's a handy assistant. The squads will be announced at noon today: WATCH: State of Origin squads reveal from 12pm AEDT.

What are your thoughts? Not much time to get any forecasts re selection in before the announcement in a bit over an hour's time!