STATE of Origin will return to footy this year through the stars of the AFLW.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan announced on Saturday afternoon that a stand-alone women’s game between Victoria and the rest of the country will be played this September.

McLachlan told 3AW the match will take place on the weekend between Round 23 and the first week of the men’s finals series.

The AFL is still hopeful that AFLX matches will be played during that week.

Round 18

Women’s footy also featured heavily in the bye week last year with a women’s exhibition match played between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs at the Whitten Oval.

The game featured the best 50 players in the country and was a massive success in terms of crowd figures and TV ratings.

In June, Foxfooty.com.au gave its suggested AFLW State of Origin line-ups, which could see Erin Phillips (South Australia), Tayla Harris (Queensland) and Chelsea Randall (Western Australia) facing off against the likes of Daisy Pearce, Brianna Davey and Darcy Vescio.

Some of the women’s state league competitions will be finished by the time the State of Origin game is played, with the VFL Women’s having a bye round that week.

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