Queensland have begun cranking up the emotion for next Wednesday night’s State of Origin opener with players each receiving a unique personalised training jersey.
Former Queensland players Gene Miles and Mark Coyne presented the commemorative jerseys at a team dinner at the MCG on Tuesday night.
The jerseys have the players’ names on the back and also feature the names of all 172 players who have represented Queensland in Origin since Arthur Beetson led the Maroons to victory in the first game at Lang Park in 1980.
The names of the three deceased players, foundation captain Beetson (1980), halfback Ross Henrick, who played seven Origins between 1981-1984, and the ill-fated Peter Jackson, who appeared in 17 games between 1986-92 are highlighted in bold on the front of the jerseys.
“It was something to commemorate our history and also to take us into the future,” said Queensland Rugby League official Bill Hunter.
“Geno (Miles) and Mark Coyne presented the training jerseys to the players at a team dinner.”
Miles, a current Queensland selector and chairman of the FOGS (Former Origin Greats) is No.28 on the Origin layer while Coyne, who scored the “miracle” try to steal a win for Queensland in game one of the 1994 series, is No.64.