Tonight see’s the much anticipated match between New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons which is to be played in Sydney at ANZ Stadium. The opening kick is set to commence at 8pm local time with the Maroons going into the game as the heavily backed favourites to continue their State Of Origin winning streak. View our live scores for the State Of Origin Game 3.

WHERE AND WHEN: ANZ Stadium, Wednesday 8pm

Opening odds comparison:

New South Wales Blues	2.45	2.50	2.60	2.50	2.45	2.45
Queensland Maroons	1.57	1.56	1.52	1.56	1.57	1.57

Preview:

Queensland will be looking to make it eight straight series wins when they take the field on Wednesday night in the final and deciding game of this year’s State of Origin.

The Maroons were dominate in Game II and registered a comfortable 26 – 6 point win, there biggest victory since their 34 – 6 win in 2010’s second game.

Back at Suncorp Stadium and with the series on the line, Queensland showed a greater commitment and played with an urgency that was lacking in Game I.

Inglis was far more involved and with his left side partner Darius Boyd, they created havoc for NSW and in particular Blues debutante, Nathan Merritt.

Merritt has been replaced for this game by Newcastle winger James McManus but rest assured, he too will be thoroughly tested as between them Inglis and Boyd have scored 27 Origin tries. More than that of the entire NSW backline combined.

After an interrupted preparation for the first game, all appears to have gone smoothly for QLD since, with the same seventeen man squad from Game II, named for Wednesday night.

Preparations for NSW since Game I however, have not.

There was the off field drama prior to Game II and this week, the Blues have learnt they’ll be without inspirational Captain Paul Gallen and strike Fullback, Jarryd Hayne.

In what will be one of the biggest games in history for New South Wales, they are valuable players to be without but on the plus side for NSW, is there recent record at ANZ Stadium.

They’ve won there past three games at the venue by margins of 8, 4 and 10 points, scoring 14, 16, 18 points in those games.

But, as QLD demonstrated in Game II, they are capable of scoring points – something NSW has struggled to do and who have only been able to surpass 20 points once in past three series.

NSW will have to play field position to nullify QLD’s attacking ability and this will require a strong and strategic kicking game from NSW halves, Pearce and Maloney and new Captain, Robbie Farah. In defensive, they’ll have to be near perfect.

Queensland, who have won the past two final games of the series and three of the last four, on the other hand, only have to do what they did in Game II.

They have the benefit of a history of big games together and will relish the opportunity to meet a new challenge and register series win number eight.

Doubt the home-ground advantage will be enough to see New South Wales stop QLD’s dominance.

Teams:

New South Wales Blues:
Josh Dugan, Brett Morris, Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, James McManus, James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce, Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah, James Tamou, Ryan Hoffman, Luke Lewis, Greg Bird, Andrew Fifita, Trent Merrin, Josh Reynolds, Anthony Watmough. Boyd Cordner is in the squad as injury cover for Bird. Jarryd Hayne has been ruled out of Game 3 with injury.

Queensland Maroons:
Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Brent Tate, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (c), Nate Myles, Chris McQueen, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker, Daly Cherry-Evans, Ben Te’o, Matt Gillett, Josh Papalii. 18th man: Jacob Lillyman – 19th man: Will Chambers. Cameron Smith is captain of the Queensland team in the 2013 State of Origin series.
Failure to drive Queensland in State Of Origin 2013 Game 3

Queensland coach Mal Meninga says the fear of being in the side which surrenders the State of Origin shield will prevent any complacency ahead of Wednesday night’s series decider.

Not since 2005 have Queensland tasted a series defeat, the likes of Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Sam Thaiday, Billy Slater and Justin Hodges having grown accustomed to that winning feeling.

Meninga said with each passing series the Maroons were inevitably inching closer to defeat, but no-one wanted to be responsible for handing the Origin shield back to NSW.

“Certainly when you get in the back end of your career fear of failure is a determining factor to get yourself motivated personally,” Meninga said ahead of Tuesday’s captain’s run at ANZ Stadium.

“Then you’ve got the young ones, they want to prove themselves, that’s another motivating force.”

The Maroons have lost on their past three visits to ANZ Stadium, including this year’s series opener when they went down 14-6.

Meninga said the loss of Paul Gallen to a foot injury was a blow to the Blues, but he anticipates other members stepping up to fill the breach left by the absent skipper.

“Even though Paul Gallen is out, their leader, they’re a formidable footy side here at ANZ Stadium,” Meninga said.

“We also understand that we haven’t won here the last couple of years. We have to play to our potential to get the result we’re after.

“I’m anticipating the Blues will come at us hard and fast and we’ll be coming at them hard and fast.”