Tonight we see the deciding match for the State Of Origin 2013 series with the match between New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons. The game is set to commence at 8pm local time with the match to be played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. We take a look at the match and give our preview and tip for the match in a game that the Maroons have been heavily supported to win.

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:

New South Wales Blues	2.45	2.50	2.60	2.50	2.45	2.45
Queensland Maroons	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.

TIP: QLD 1 – 12

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.
Smith wary of Origin stand alone call

Australian captain Cameron Smith says the idea of stand alone weekends for rugby league’s State Of Origin series is great in theory, but not in practice.

Smith on Monday differed with his club coach Craig Bellamy who said league should take a lesson from rugby union suspending the Super Rugby tournament in Australia during the Wallabies’ three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.

He also took issue with critics lamenting the playing standard in the NRL, insisting it had never been higher.

Queensland skipper Smith was concerned a move to a stand-alone period for the Origin series would make the season too long and he feared the possibility of player burnout if extra weeks were added.

Smith, like Bellamy, was a frustrated watcher as premiers Melbourne were thrashed 39-0 by the Bulldogs in Sunday’s grand final rematch, played without any of both team’s Origin representatives.

He agreed it wasn’t a good look for the game but believed it was more of a scheduling issue, which had been pointed out when the draw first came out.

“It’s a really strange one. I’m not too sure how that can happen,” said Smith.

‘But where are we going to put Origin so that players can play for their clubs every week?

“Stand alone weekends are a great idea, but already this year in a World Cup season, the final of the World Cup is on November 30.

“If you have stand alone State of Origins, do you want players finishing their season in December? I think it’s a bit too long.

“I know its hurting our game at club level, but as far as player welfare and player burnout concern, I can’t see adding a few extra weeks onto a season as a positive.”

Smith was bullish about the playing standard in the NRL.

“For me, I think the standard of football is the best it’s ever been,” Smith said.

“The individual players’ skill level and endurance is the best I’ve ever seen.

“The game is getting bigger and bigger every year.”

Smith downplayed concerns about attendances and TV ratings for NRL games.

“There’s always a concern every year around State of Origin because you’re taking 34 of the best players out of the game,” Smith said.

“You are taking them out of club action for eight weeks, so their crowds are always going to be down.

“The numbers are always going to be down, on TV because who wants to watch a team run out and get beaten 39-0?

“Its not a good look for our game, but how do we fix that?

“I’m not sure. It’s not my job to fix that.

“It’s up to the administration to have a look at that and come up with the best way..

“Do we reduce our rounds of football?

“I’ve said that for a couple of years now, but we’ve just signed a lucrative broadcast deal that says we can’t do that.”