An embarrassing blue left a Victorian politician red-faced and rugby league officials wincing.

Danielle Green, the parliamentary secretary for tourism and major events, referred to the Queensland State Of Origin team as the Reds, not the Maroons.

The clanger inevitably prompted several media questions about the ongoing wisdom of playing a State Of Origin clash in AFL heartland.

She made the mistake in her speech at Tuesday’s State Of Origin series launch.

The MCG will host game two of the series and Green was filling in for Minister for Sport John Eren at the Melbourne function.

She correctly called NSW the Blues – but the Reds, as every football fan north of the Murray knows, are Queensland’s rugby union team.

Queensland and Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith politely called it “a slight gaffe”, while NRL chief executive Dave Smith dismissed it as “a simple mistake”.

“Victorians do get rugby and rugby league mixed up from time to time,” Smith said.

“But I think come June 17, everyone will know that rugby league is on and a pretty big State Of Origin match will be happening.”

Smith and rival captain Paul Gallen are looking forward to playing at the MCG.

The first Origin game at the ground in 1994 attracted a crowd of more than 87,000.

Origin games were also played there in `95 and `97.

“It would be a privilege to play on such a ground with so much sporting history,” Smith said.

“I said a couple of years ago, I’d love to just get five or 10 minutes on that ground to play a game.

“Now we’ve been given the opportunity to play a State Of Origin match, it’s pretty special.

“I’ve been there when there’s been a tick over 100,000 and there’s no place like it.”

Gallen has not only never played on the MCG, he has never been there at all.

Smith also has no doubt that the game will attract a massive MCG crowd.