AFL boss Andrew Dillon has refused to guarantee State of Origin will be an annual event as clubs are set to intervene in the concept's revival.
Victoria and Western Australia will battle it out in Perth on February 14 in the first fully-fledged AFL state match since 1999.
Interest in Origin died during the 1990s as clubs became more protective of their players and worried about them suffering serious injuries.
Both squads for Origin's return are stacked with talent, but club football departments have been given the ability to override Victoria coach Chris Scott and his WA counterpart Dean Cox to put their players on restricted minutes.
Dillon was confident the game would be serious, rather than a glorified exhibition match.
"Having spoken to Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli, the captains of both of those teams, they want to put on an absolutely good show there," he said at partnership extension with Virgin Australia on Thursday.
"We've got 50 of the best players in the competition, and they're super competitors."
When asked if Origin would return next year, Dillon was non-committal.
"What we've got now is we're going to have Victoria-WA next weekend, and it's a sell out," he said.
"We'll have well into 50,000 people, fans are super excited about it, but we'll just see how it plays out."
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield joked he and fellow veteran Jack Gunston (Hawthorn) would be "fighting to get to the bench" with expected hot weather for the Optus Stadium showdown.
"The engagement from the Western Australians already, the appetite is clearly there," the Victorian ace said on Thursday.
"With these sorts of things, you have to start with the people attending the game.
"Everything we hear out of WA in terms of how the state is embracing it, there's nothing but excitement.
"It will be lifelong memories and hopefully lifelong friendships that are formed with the five days away."
Brisbane star Charlie Cameron is excited about the opportunity of reuniting with former Lions teammate Callum Ah Chee for WA.
"The boys will be having a crack," the dual premiership forward said.
"It will be a good hit-out. It might be bit too hot for the Victorian boys. It will be pretty good weather for me, we're used to that weather."
