State of Origin: Kysaiah Pickett, Liam Baker, Jordan Clark, Luke Jackson among nine new stars to represent WA

Kysaiah Pickett is one of a host of high-profile homegrown stars officially named in Western Australia’s squad for February’s State of Origin clash, alongside West Coast’s Liam Baker and Fremantle pair Luke Jackson and Jordan Clark. The quartet were among four players added to coach Dean Cox’s squad on Wednesday, St Kilda winger Bradley Hill, dual Brisbane premiership forward Charlie Cameron, Collingwood ruck Darcy Cameron and GWS pair Jesse Hogan and Sam Taylor. The AFL expanded its eligibility criteria, meaning the Demons’ premiership forward can wear the Black Swan in the February 14 Valentine’s Day clash against Victoria, with more than 40,000 tickets already sold. The State of Origin criteria takes into account where the player played the majority of their junior football up until the age of 16 and the state they were born in, as well as their Indigenous cultural heritage. Pickett ticks the WA boxes in all of those areas, having been raised in the Wheatbelt town of Quairading, despite being drafted at pick 12 in 2019 out of Woodville West Torrens and being selected in an SA Under 18s team. Pickett, the nephew of North Melbourne and Port Adelaide premiership player Byron Pickett and ex-Demon Neville Jetta and a second cousin of retired Richmond player Marlion Pickett, identifies as Yamatji and Noongar from his mother’s side in WA. He also has Ngarrindjeri heritage from his father’s side in SA. Pickett, an All-Australian this season, is understood to have told the AFL he wanted to represent WA and petitioned for a “special privilege”. He considered a trade back to WA in 2024 and 2025, with reports suggesting he was texting Fremantle players about a wish to move to the Dockers, before signing a $12 million deal with the Demons that stretches to the end of 2034. Pickett’s eligibility for WA comes off a stellar 2025 in which he kicked 40 goals with regular forays into the midfield. The latest selections bring Western Australia’s squad to 14, following last month’s announcement of Patrick Cripps (Carlton), Shai Bolton (Fremantle), Tom Barrass (Hawthorn), Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs) and Chad Warner (Sydney Swans). Other options yet to be named in the squad include Western Bulldogs ruck Tim English, key forwards Jake Waterman (West Coast), Shannon Neale (Geelong) and Mitch Georgiades (Port Adelaide), Fremantle midfielder Jaeger O’Meara, Brisbane recruit and former Eagles captain Oscar Allen, veteran GWS midfielder Stephen Coniglio and versatile Melbourne midfielder-defender Trent Rivers and Geelong forward Shannon Neale. Fremantle mentor Justin Longmuir will be Sydney coach Cox’s assistant, with West Coast great Glen Jakovich the chairman of selectors. The Victorian side will feature Western Bulldogs gun Marcus Bontempelli, Port Adelaide match-winner Zak Butters, Geelong spearhead Jeremy Cameron and Gold Coast’s reigning Brownlow medallist, Matt Rowell. Geelong’s Chris Scott will coach the team, with Hawthorn mentor Sam Mitchell by his side and Garry Lyon the chairman of selectors. It will be the first State of Origin Australian rules clash since 1999. “I’m really happy with how the squad is shaping up, with 14 of the State’s best homegrown footballers locked in and ready to represent Western Australia,” Cox said. “They’re all players who know how to stand up in big moments, and half of them are premiership players, which will be invaluable experience on the Origin stage. “I am also excited to see a few familiar faces team up again. ‘Kozzie’ and Luke were great teammates at Melbourne, and Liam Baker and Shai Bolton forged something special together at Richmond. Seeing those combinations back together in the Black Swan will be awesome. “I can’t wait to sit down with Justin and Glen to finalise the rest of the squad.” Origin was first played at Subiaco Oval in WA in 1977, the brainchild of Subiaco Football Club marketing guru Leon Larkin, when WA belted Victoria by 94 points. At last month’s official Origin launch in King’s Park, Jakovich pointed out the last time Victoria travelled to Perth to play WA they lost by 76 points. “I still hate Victoria,” he declared, firing a bold opening shot at his Victoria counterpart Lyon. “I don’t think Garry has had too much success in big games here in WA. I doubt he’s going to have any success on the 14th of February.” State of Origin’s return has come about through a collaboration between the AFL, WA State Government and Tourism WA, and will be broadcast on Channel 7 and 7Plus. The match will begin at 4.40pm WST. Profits from general public ticket sales will be reinvested back into WA’s community football pathways as part of the AFL and WA Government’s commitment to growing the game and making it accessible to all. WA squad: Liam Baker (AFL club West Coast Eagles/State league Subiaco/community Lake Grace), Tom Barrass (Hawthorn/Claremont/Scarborough), Shai Bolton (Fremantle/South Fremantle/Forrestdale), Charlie Cameron (Brisbane/Swan Districts/Newman Saints), Darcy Cameron (Collingwood/Claremont/North Albany), Jordan Clark (Fremantle/Claremont/Railways), Patrick Cripps (Carlton/East Fremantle/Northampton), Bradley Hill (St Kilda/West Perth/Quinns District), Jesse Hogan (GWS/Claremont/Marist), Luke Jackson (Fremantle/East Fremantle/Bullcreek-Leeming), Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs/Peel Thunder/Rockingham), Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne/Woodville-West Torrens/Quairading), Sam Taylor (GWS/Swan Districts/Upper Swan), Chad Warner (Sydney/East Fremantle/Willetton).