NSW coaches Laurie Daley and Michael Cheika face a double dose of intensity over the next four days at Suncorp Stadium, the cauldron of Queensland rugby league and rugby union.
On Wednesday night, Daley’s troops will be all-out at Suncorp to whitewash the Maroons for the first time since 2000, having just ended an eight-year State of Origin series drought.
There are no survivors from that 2000 series, where NSW was led by Brad Fittler and coached by Wayne Pearce. Queensland’s skipper was Adrian Lam, and the coach Mark Murray.
That was a very comprehensive series success by NSW, having won the first game 20-16 at Stadium Australia, the second 28-10 at Suncorp, and the third with a cricket score of 56-16.
But it’s been very much Queensland’s way since 2001, until now.
In the 41 Origins since, the Maroons have a 23-18 record, a salute to Mal Meninga and his way of coaching.
So don’t think for one moment tonight’s Origin 3 will be a dead rubber, it has far more pluses than minuses.
NSW desperately wants to prove a point by nailing Queensland a third time, while the hosts can’t possibly entertain the thought of losing the series 3-0 for the first time in 14 years.
The more interesting question will be how many Queenslanders will turn up at Suncorp tonight, now the series is lost? Normally there would more than 50,000.
And how many will hang around to see NSW captain Paul Gallen lift the Origin trophy at the end of the match?
Make no mistake, Queensland will be tougher to beat this time because of the hurt, and their pride.
And with crack reps like Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk on duty there’s no better launching pad for a revival.
But Queensland rugby won’t have its stars available against a Waratah outfit that’s bristling with confidence after claiming the minor premiership for the first time. Will Genia, his sidekick Nick Frisby, Quade Cooper, Anthony Fainga, Dom Shipperley, Liam Gill and Eddie Quirk are all missing, that’s a huge hole.
There will be no holding back by NSW, who don’t have the same anti-feelings towards the Reds as the Reds have in return.
Wallabies and Reds prop James Slipper summed it up best by saying, “I don’t take anything away from what they have achieved, but I don’t like seeing NSW win anything”.
And most of the time the Reds have beaten NSW anyway, so Slipper hasn’t had to suffer too much. Since 1996, the Reds have won 18, lost 10, and drawn one.
In their last five meetings, the Reds have won four, but lost the last one 32-5.
So sit back and let the next four days of intensity sink in. No prisoners will be taken.
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