It was a bruising opening encounter in Adelaide. Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
State against state, great against great, mate against mate - the highlight of Australia's rugby league calendar kicks off tonight.
Queensland will play New South Wales in Sydney in the first of three State of Origin games.
In the lead-up to the game, much of the focus has been on the New South Wales Blues.
After two consecutive series losses, coach Brad Fittler stood down and the new coach Michael "Madge" Maguire sacked the captain, James Tedesco.
The new Blues leadership team could be an odd couple - Madge Maguire is best known for his dedication to driving his teams hard - while new skipper Jake Trbojevic is the nice guy of the competition. He's rumoured to apologise on the field for tackling his opponents.
His niceness may be taking some of the edge of the build-up to the game. Former captain Paul Gallen used to taunt Queenslanders as having two heads. Smiling Jake is far to nice to say such a thing.
Maroons looking for three in row
For the Queensland Maroons, coach Billy Slater and captain Daly Cherry-Evans are looking for for three series wins in a row.
The game usually brings together Australia's top players but some of the best are missing with injuries this time.
Halfback Nathan Cleary and centre Tom Trbojevic are both out injured from the Blues, while five-eighth Cameron Munster is missing from the Maroons - and they could be the three best players in the NRL.
Blues fans are seen during State of Origin 2023 Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Some of the match-ups are mouth-watering
At fullback for the Blues, James Tedesco is back in the team after being dropped. But Madge Maguire turned back to him when first choice fullback Dylan Edwards got injured. He's been the star fullback in NSW and Australian teams for the past seven years. But his opponent is the latest pin-up boy of the game. Reece Walsh's good looks and charm off the field, combined with his speed and try scoring on the field are making him the game's most talked about player.
In the key spot of halfback, Daly Cherry-Evans has been the star of recent series, with his pinpoint kicking and game management. His opponent is Nicho Hynes, the form player of the competition.
Madge Maguire has picked a team of big forwards and defence minded backs, clearly planning a power game. Queensland have a smaller more nimble pack - and only two of their reserves are forwards. Does that mean they will be the first to tire as the game goes on, or they can run the big NSW pack off the park?
Australia's greatest sporting rivalry continues with Game 2 in the series on 26 June at Melbourne, and the series wraps up in Brisbane on 17 July.
The teams
NSW Blues
James Tedesco 1
Brian To'o 2
Stephen Crichton 3
Joseph Suaali'i 4
Zac Lomax 5
Jarome Luai 6
Nicho Hynes 7
Jake Trbojevic (c) 8
Reece Robson 9
Payne Haas 10
Liam Martin 11
Angus Crichton 12
Cam McInnes 13
Bench
Isaah Yeo 14
Haumole Olakau'atu 15
Spencer Leniu 16
Hudson Young 17
Queensland Maroons
Reece Walsh 1
Xavier Coates 2
Valentine Holmes 3
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 4
Murray Taulagi 5
Tom Dearden 6
Daly Cherry-Evans (c) 7
Reuben Cotter 8
Ben Hunt 9
Lindsay Collins 10
Jaydn Su'A 11
Jeremiah Nanai 12
Patrick Carrigan 13
Bench
Harry Grant 14
Moeaki Fotuaika 15
J'maine Hopgood 16
Selwyn Cobbo 17
Referee - Ashley Klein
