The State Of Origin 2013 series will be decided tonight between NSW and QLD. The opening kick is set to commence at 8pm local time with the match to be played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. Queensland go into the match as the overwhelming favourites. View our State Of Origin live scores.
WHERE AND WHEN: ANZ Stadium, Wednesday 8pm
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Opening 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.
Hang tough: Gallen’s Origin plea
Injured NSW skipper Paul Gallen has sparked plenty of emotion with a heart-felt plea to his teammates to dig deep and be tough in Wednesday’s State of Origin series decider.
Gallen will miss the sold-out clash at ANZ Stadium because of his foot injury but he provided inspiration for new skipper Robbie Farah’s men when he presented the Blues with their jumpers on Tuesday night.
“It was terrific,” assistant coach Matt Parish told reporters on Wednesday morning.
“Gal’s an inspirational leader, he leads by example, more so than with his words.
“But last night he said a couple of really pertinent things…it was quite emotional.
“He said to the boys, ‘you’re going to be in some dark places out here tonight and you’ve got to dig deep, be tough together … and hang through the tough times. It’ll come through’.
“That was the main message he tried to deliver.”
It’s not the first time NSW’s hopes of a drought-breaking series victory have been pinned on a decider, but – after seven straight years of Queensland domination – it is perhaps their biggest moment in Origin’s 28-year history.
Regardless, Parish said the Blues were relaxed and training had been smooth, despite the absence of Gallen and fellow injured star Jarryd Hayne.
“We don’t feel like it’s Groundhog Day,” Parish said.
“Despite Gal and Haynesy not being there, we believe this is our best opportunity to win the series for a number of years.
“But again, we know we need to play well to win the game.”
There are unlikely to be any last-minute changes to the side, with Parish confirming all were fit.
“It’s now or never,” he said.