COACHING legend and former Victorian coach David Parkin has called for state-of-origin football to be played once every five years to give the game's best players two cracks at elite representative football.

Parkin, a four-time premiership coach and influential mentor of current coaches and players, said yesterday that state football could be played every five years, giving the elite players at least one and perhaps two opportunities to represent their state.

Collingwood, meanwhile, has questioned whether state football can fit into an 18-team competition and a crowded schedule that could involve a 24-round season.

"I have this deep-down desire to construct something about every five years, which allows everyone to play and represent their state," said Parkin, who prefers state versus state to the "dream team" concept that was tried on Saturday night.

"And I think the state-of-origin concept when they're actually playing for something of significance … it was very significant for me."

Parkin said the better players usually played for 10 years or more. "They're the best players who play consistently over time; that's twice during their careers — at least once, but hopefully twice, they get a chance to don their state guernsey."

He said the six states and two territories could be divided into A and B divisions, with a possible promotion and relegation system.

"I'm yet to see a current player who didn't want to do it. And I've talked to a lot of them, just in conversation about the concept, and they love it, absolutely love it … I think that will live with them for the rest of their days."

Parkin said he believed Victoria had won on Saturday night with a slightly inferior line-up to the Dream Team because it was playing for a state.

"I think they did well to get the support of both the players and the public. I think they did pretty well to do that. I really enjoyed the game.

"I must admit I didn't think the Vics could win, but I thought the fact that they represented Victoria, with probably a little less talent than the opposition who didn't have quite the same reason, and they got the job done.

"I thought they might have gone for a festival … the four best, most talented states, and played it over two days.

"I would have had two half games on the Saturday and two half games on the Sunday to produce a one to four in a state-of-origin concept. I would have done that in preference to what they did. But I'll give them their due … they organised it and delivered it pretty well."

Parkin said representing Victoria as coach and a player was among the most significant experiences of his football life. He said while there were injury risks for clubs, the same was true of the international rules series against the Irish.

"It's always that risk when you go and we're going to continue that (Irish) concept. I see that as no different.

"The draw of it and the privilege to do it (state of origin) far outweighs, in my opinion."

While Collingwood might have been hurt on Saturday night, pending scans to Josh Fraser's sore knee, club president Eddie McGuire was supportive of the Hall of Fame game and of the risks to clubs.

But McGuire said there might not be room for state football on the calendar once the competition expanded.

"It was sensational for the 150th anniversary of football. Is there a place for representative football in the game? There is, but we need to work out what it is.

"Who knows, it may be gone because by the time we get a year down the track we'll have 18 teams and probably 24 rounds and then we've probably answered our own question.

"If you're playing 24 rounds of football, where are you going to fit it all in?

"I love state of origin. I spoke to Josh straight after the game last night and he said to me it was one of the best moments of his footy life. You can't deny people wonderful opportunities in their life to do things.

"OK, there's a risk for everybody. I mean, it happened to be a Collingwood bloke with the sore leg, you know, and a West Coast bloke with the sore leg.

"Is the all-stars the way to go, or do you aim to have Victoria versus South Australia-Western Australia type of game in a period of time, taking into account that we've now got Ireland back on the agenda again, and taking into account that there's tremendous impost on the players these days."

McGuire said he was disappointed that the fans had done the Mexican wave when there was only five points difference in the last quarter.