Welcome to the deciding match of State of Origin 2013. Can New South Wales rise to the occasion at home without captain Paul Gallen or will Queensland once again prove too strong? Join us for live scores and commentary from 8.00pm AEST.
The Blues will not get a better opportunity than tonight to register their first series win over the Maroons since 2005.
NSW has won its past two matches at ANZ Stadium against Queensland and will have no excuses should they fail to yet again secure a series win against their great rivals.
Queensland, however, will have fond memories of the last time they played a decider in Sydney.
The Maroons managed to defeat the Blues in the 2008 Origin decider at ANZ Stadium and possess the class and confidence necessary to inflict similar misery yet again on NSW.
Despite being well outplayed at Suncorp three weeks ago, Blues coach Laurie Daley has remained loyal to the players that got the job done in Sydney six weeks ago.
Halves Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney retain their place in the starting line-up for NSW despite struggling in Game 2 and must repay the coach’s faith with career defining performances tonight in front of the Blues faithful.
Josh Dugan also keeps his spot at fullback while James McManus comes in on the wing to replace Nathan Merritt who has been dropped.
NSW’s forward stocks, however, have undergone some key changes with Gallen the most notable absentee after succumbing to a foot injury late last week.
Gallen’s absence means Robbie Farah will captain the Blues for the first time in his career and he will be joined in the frontrow alongside Tigers team-mate Aaron Woods.
Boyd Cordner will also makes his debut for NSW off the bench. The young Roosters forward has been in outstanding form for the Bondi Junction club and replaces Josh Reynolds, who drops off the bench.
With Gallen missing, it will be up to Luke Lewis, Ryan Hoffman, Greg Bird, Farah and Anthony Watmough to lead from the front in the Origin decider.
Maroons coach Mal Meninga meanwhile has seen no need to change a side that has continually done the job for the past seven seasons.
Debutants Josh Papalii and Daly Cherry-Evans retain their place in Queensland’s line-up after solid efforts in Game 2.
Superstars Johnathon Thurston, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis will also once again stand in the way of NSW’s hopes of securing an overdue Origin series victory at home.
Prediction (Get live odds here)
If the opening two games are anything to go by, tonight’s Origin decider could very well be decided during the opening 20 minutes.
In Game 1, the Blues managed to outmuscle the Maroons in the first half, establishing a 14 nil lead courtesy of great work from their forwards.
Queensland however returned the favour in Game 2 as they dominated field position and possession in the opening 20 minutes to all but end NSW’s chances of securing victory.
Both teams will be very keen to avoid getting outmuscled in the opening 20 minutes, so we should expect both sets of forwards to really give it their all tonight.
Queensland forwards Corey Parker, Sam Thaiday, Matt Scott and Nate Myles were all superb in Game 2 for the Maroons and will once again look to the lead the way upfront against the Blues.
The same effort can also be expected from NSW forwards Bird, Lewis, Andrew Fifita, Hoffman and Watmough.
The battle in the halves will also be fierce with Pearce and Maloney eager for redemption after being well outclassed by Cronk and Thurston in Game 2.
The pressure on Pearce’s shoulders in particular will be massive tonight. The Roosters halfback really needs to on song with his kicking and passing game if he hopes to retain his NSW jersey for season’s to come.
With Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds quickly establishing himself as one of the best no. 7’s in the NRL, another flat performance from Pearce will almost definitely see him relinquish his half back spot to Reynolds next season.
With so much on the line, it is difficult to tip against Queensland, given the massive amount of big-game players they have at their disposal.
While NSW will give it their all, a moment of brilliance from Cronk, Slater, Inglis, Thurston or Smith may once again allow the Maroons to seal their eighth consecutive series win.
Queensland by two.
[roargal]
K Man
Guest
What a Game, What a Show They made their claim, their claim for the state “No way in hell, it was going to be eight” But Queenslanders have got, this most incredible spirit In every corner in Australia, no doubt you’ll often hear it So the decider came around, in about mid July The night was looking fine, and spirits were running high The Maroons started well, their attack was most sleek Their defence rock solid, New South Wales looked bleak In the first 10 minutes, Queensland went up six nil Smith made the break, Thurston scored with the pill The kick went right over, and things were looked dire But NSW weren’t finished; they knew they were on fire Try saving tackles by Thaiday and Slater And Hodges brilliance, well we’ll talk about that later In the 26th minutes though, it all changed once again Morris put McManus, over the line for a gem A half time score of four against eight A conversion and a penalty, the difference at the break Queensland on top, Oh no, not again But NSW wouldn’t have it, not Farah and his men They stormed out of the blocks, destined for all glory But Hodges made sure, a Queensland victory was the story He scored a crackin try, and the crowd gave a roar Thurston couldn’t convert, so the score was twelve four But again they came back, the gallant NSW men Trent Merrin the try scorer, the score then twelve ten And just when you thought, that this game could give no more Out comes a streaker, and he almost caught the ball In the end Queensland won, a thriller of a match They took the final game, on NSW’s patch And Queensland are the champions, for the eighth time in a row The 2013 origin decider, what a game, what a show
Scott Minto
Guest
NSW got to within 2 points of QLD without a halves pairing! 11 vs 12 and only lost by 2 points, a great effort from the boys!
V.O.R.
Guest
"Even when QLD get played off the park" ... What game where you watching DS? I know you need someone to burn at the stake but QLD were most definitely not played off the park. They responded admirably to a lop sided penalty count with some of the softest penalties ever given in origin. Plenty of line breaks by QLD 5 to NSW 3... Higher completion rate 88% Kicking metres > by 225 metres, offloads Qld 9 to NSW 6, errors QLD 6 NSW 11 Missed tackles QLD 22. NSW 27 and I could go on.... played off the park hey? interesting read of the game.... don't kid yourself to think your problems don't extend beyond Pearce....yer give someone else a shot next year but don't dump an 8 year losing legacy on one bloke....too easy...problems run deeper than that.
V.O.R.
Guest
+ 1. Never seen a call like that in NRL.... Nice posi to give it...was it on the 5th? Probably.
V.O.R.
Guest
Even a cheap punch through the gate couldn't stop Nate dealing out the fate from 1 to 8......the stars will align to bring on 9, the Mighty Maroon Men to seal the 10.
V.O.R.
Guest
Shocking broadcast....hardly a replay in the penalties that were given to both sides....what gives channel 9? Talk about drop'n the ball.
V.O.R.
Guest
QLD 88% completion rate Yer, sometimes there is nothing to do. The refs needed to help NSW out with penalties...tick box....QLD needed to have bad completion rate.....didn't happen. You can't blame one individual. Poor guy will feel the wrath though. See you later Pearcy.
V.O.R.
Guest
QLD 831 kicking metres NSW 606 kicking metres
V.O.R.
Guest
QLD 51% possession
V.O.R.
Guest
Ha ha... Funny stuff...
V.O.R.
Guest
Best ever EJ?
V.O.R.
Guest
Posterior Cruciate in first half...maybe 6-8 weeks...souths will be a different side...how the hell did this guy stay on with an injury like that at such a high level game....in effect Queensland won with 12 men or at least without a Centre to run with the ball...and just not any centre. Good chance that if that had been an injury to a NSW centre Cronk, Smith and Slater would of sniffed him out.
Varun
Guest
Yes but NSW benefited most from him being a "joke".
dahl
Guest
Next year if golden Gordon is correct. Eight, one. Eight, bloody one!
Varun
Guest
Well said, EJ. Fair comment mate.
Varun
Guest
It bounced of Merrins foot, not hand. It looked like a knock on in real time, but replays showed otherwise.
Jay C
Guest
I was mocking your astounding use of grammar... ehhh I can't even be bothered. We won. For all your rubbish you can't take that away. Qld played much better than NSW and through as much adversity as game 3 2006 we were victorious. Go Queensland, you have done our state proud once again. NSW you were just not good enough once again.
eagleJack
Guest
Oh dear Jay you have embarrassed yourself. If you have IQ then use it. If you still come to the conclusion that Merrin knocked on then, well, there's not a lot we can do to help you.
Ur kidding
Guest
Your a monkeys uncle (your words)
Jay C
Guest
I have IQ. Maybe put the bong down before you start trippin buddy. It makes 3 quarters of no difference to me anyway. Queensland for the win!