With Game 3 of the State Of Origin 2013 series being played tomorrow night we take a look at the match between New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons. The game is to be played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney with the opening kick set to commence at 8pm. Queensland are hot favourites to win the decider and take the series. We take a look at both teams and provide a preview of the match.
ANZ Stadium
Wednesday 8pm
New South Wales Blues $2.45 vs Queensland Maroons $1.57 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match
New South Wales Blues $2.60 vs Queensland Maroons $1.52 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Odds Comparison:
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New South Wales Blues
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2.45 | 2.50 | 2.60 | 2.50 | 2.45 | 2.45 |
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Queensland Maroons
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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.
Blues facing Origin moment of truth
NSW face their biggest State of Origin moment in 28 years on Wednesday night, yet on the back of a horrendous preparation they line up against a Queensland outfit desperate not to be the side to send the shield south of the border.
Fear of failure is proving a major motivator for the Maroons as they attempt to secure their eighth-straight series win – the drive for success in no way diluted by their achievements.
The Blues seemed to be making inroads with a series opening win in Sydney – but a game two shellacking and shocking build-up to the decider has them outsiders.
Only once have they ever started at longer odds to win a game at ANZ Stadium than the $2.50 being offered – and that was when they lost the 2010 series 3-0.
Their brightest attacking force, Jarryd Hayne, failed to make it through the first day of camp due to a hamstring injury.
Inspirational leader Paul Gallen was also a scratching due to a foot injury, while fill-in captain Robbie Farah spent Origin eve watching his NRL club implode from afar with Benji Marshall wanting out of Wests Tigers.
All this heading into a game which, if won, would rival NSW’s first series win in 1985.
But while the Blues are on their knees, the Maroons remain wary.
“Even though Paul Gallen is out, their leader, they’re a formidable footy side here at ANZ Stadium,” Maroons coach Mal 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.”
Queensland’s recent ANZ Stadium history is not great – having lost on their last three visits to the venue – but they do have a good record in deciders at the stadium.
Of the three deciders at the Sydney Olympics home, both sides have won once with the other game drawn.
But it is Queensland’s ability to dominate in clutch situations during their seven-year reign which really stands out, with big-game players coming to the fore in all four deciders played during that span.
Last year it was Cooper Cronk with his field goal at the death, while in 2011 four tries in the space of 20 minutes blew NSW off the park in the opening half.
In 2008 Johnathan Thurston took off from his own half with 13 minutes to go to set up Billy Slater’s match-winner, while Darren Lockyer’s effort to pounce on a loose Brett Hodgson pass to kick-start the dynasty in 2006 has gone down in Origin folklore.
Many of those names remain in the Maroons line-up, and they are hellbent on not having their name associated with a NSW revival.
“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.
NSW’s motivation is almost the opposite – the need to create their own piece of history.
Against the odds, against arguably the greatest Queensland side ever assembled, Farah has the chance to lead the Blues to a memorable victory.
“Potentially. We lose and no-one remembers,” Farah said.
“We can’t look back, Gal’s not going to be on the field with us, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.
“We’ve just got to get on with the job and that’s what we plan on doing.”