There are no prizes for guessing what Queensland coach Mal Meninga wants for his birthday.
However, Meninga admits he is wary of party poopers NSW.
Queensland great Meninga turns 55 on Wednesday and hopes to celebrate that night with a series-clinching State of Origin victory at a sold out Suncorp Stadium.
But Meninga was not taking anything for granted after Laurie Daley’s Blues gatecrashed his last big Origin party.
Current Blues coach Daley was captain of the NSW side that ensured there was no fairytale Origin finish for then Maroons skipper Meninga in 1994.
Asked about a win on his birthday, Meninga said: “It would be nice.
“But it has been spoilt many times before though.
“I am not complacent going into it.”
In 1994, Daley was one of four Blues try-scorers in NSW’s 27-12 game three win at Suncorp Stadium that sealed the series – and doomed Meninga’s Origin swansong.
And coach Daley’s NSW side will follow in the footsteps of the 1994 team if they clinch a series by winning away games in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Only two NSW teams have come back from 1-0 down to clinch the Origin series – in 1994 and 2005.
Daley’s 1994 team are the only ones to have won the series by claiming games two and three away.
But Meninga believed history would also look kindly on his side.
Meninga hinted that his team which had their record eight straight series streak snapped last year by NSW weren’t done with yet.
“It’s an extraordinary team over the last decade,” Meninga said.
“And their enthusiasm and commitment is still there – they are great competitors.
“(But) history will make those judgements.”
NSW’s 2014 Origin I win at Suncorp Stadium was their only victory in their past seven matches at the venue.
For the record, Queensland have won the past five game three Origin matches – NSW last won one in 2009.
“You want to treat your home like a fortress,” Meninga said.
“It (homeground advantage) doesn’t mean much if you are not playing well.
“(But) the crowd comes in when we are doing it tough, backs to the wall type of stuff.
“That does have an impact. When that ‘Queenslander’ call comes out, it picks them up.”
