The AFL has today announced that Chad Warner (Western Australia) will pull on his state colours for the 2026 AAMI AFL Origin match on Saturday, 14 February at Optus Stadium.
Warner, who was named All Australian in 2024, will pull on the ‘Black Swan’ joining Patrick Cripps, Aaron Naughton, Shai Bolton and Tom Barrass. Warner’s selection continues his rapid rise as one of the most exciting midfielders, and joins forces with his Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox.
“I’m pumped and it’s a huge honour to get the chance to represent WA, especially with Coxy as coach,” Warner said.
“Having spoken to a few of my WA teammates, we are all excited to get together as a team and take it to Victoria in front of hopefully a sold-out Optus Stadium, with a loud home crowd drowning out all the travelling Victorian fans.”
Warner and the Victorian team's selection of Collingwood's Nick Daicos means both states now have five players confirmed for the match on 14 February, with more players to be announced in the following weeks.
Tickets for AAMI AFL Origin will be on sale from today, Tuesday 18 November, for AFL and Club members at 9.00am AWST/12.00pm AEDT via Ticketmaster, followed by General Public access on Wednesday, 19 November at 9.00am AWST/12.00pm AEDT. Details can be found here.
Profits from public ticket sales will be reinvested back into Western Australian community football pathways as part of the AFL and WA Government’s commitment to growing the game and making it accessible to all.
In 2026, AAMI AFL Origin will be delivered with the support of the Western Australian Government, through Tourism WA, and showcase the best of the state to fans all over the country.
The 2026 AAMI AFL Origin game will be broadcast on Channel 7 and Fox, as well as 7Plus and Kayo streaming platforms, spotlighting Perth and its world-class sporting facilities to the rest of the nation.
The match will begin at 4.40pm AWST / 7.40pm AEDT. For more information, head to Origin.AFL.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Chad Warner
AFL Club: Sydney Swans
State League Club: East Fremantle
Community Club: Willetton
Tom Barrass
AFL Club: Hawthorn
State League Club: Claremont
Community Club: Scarborough
Shai Bolton
AFL Club: Fremantle
State League Club: South Fremantle
Community Club: Forrestdale
Patrick Cripps
AFL Club: Carlton
State League Club: East Fremantle
Community Club: Northampton
Aaron Naughton
AFL Club: Western Bulldogs
State League Club: Peel Thunder
Community Club: Rockingham
VICTORIAN SQUAD
Marcus Bontempelli
AFL Club: Western Bulldogs
State League Club: Northern Knights
Community Club: Eltham
Zak Butters
AFL Club: Port Adelaide
State League Club: Western Jets
Community Club: Darley
Jeremy Cameron
AFL Club: Geelong Cats
State League Club: GWV (formerly North Ballarat)
Community Club: Dartmoor
Nick Daicos
AFL Club: Collingwood
State League Club: Oakleigh
Community Club: Kew Rovers
Matt Rowell
AFL Club: Gold Coast Suns
State League Club: Oakleigh Chargers
Community Club: Canterbury
Official Accommodation Partner ALL Accor offers fans access to a variety of options to suit all tastes and budgets with 12 hotels and apartments across Perth. Travelling fans can choose from brands like Art Series, The Sebel, Mantra, Handwritten Collection, Novotel, TRIBE, Mercure, and ibis. Visit ALL.com to book, plus unlock a special member rate by joining Accor’s loyalty program, ALL Accor, for free.
As the Official Airline Partner of the AFL, Virgin Australia is focused on offering value and choice for footy fans travelling to the event. To book your flight to 2026 AAMI AFL Origin, visit www.virginaustralia.com
