Queensland might be coming to Newcastle for revenge tonight but avid rugby league fan Imohgen Alo has no doubts who will take glory in Origin II.
"The Blues," the Wangi Wangi 10-year-old declared as she got a first-hand glimpse of the Sky Blues' captain's run at McDonald Jones Stadium yesterday.
Imohgen is being treated for T-cell lymphoma, a type of cancer, and along with mum Stevie and dad Ray was a special guest at NSW's final training session before the Origin showdown.
"Imohgen was diagnosed with cancer in February, and her first thing was, 'I can't play footy'," Ray said.
"Imohgen was lucky enough to have [NSW player] Millie [Elliott] reach out and send her a jersey that was fully signed by the girls, a pair of shorts and a pair of Millie's boots."
The boots came with a special message, saying: "Wear these boots in an Origin game when you're older."
It is something Imohgen, who will be at the game on tonight with her Valentine Junior Rugby League under 13s teammates, hopes to do.
"We got to come and meet the girls and see what it's like and hopefully see that this could be her future one day," Stevie said.
"Her body is responding really well to treatment, so we're going really well at the moment.
"She's on a two-year plan but around October should be the end of the intense period and then we go into the maintenance where she can start getting back into normal life, so full-time school and getting back into some little sport.
"She'll probably start with touch and then hopefully start the season next year back in league and rugby."
Tonight will be an historic occasion for women's rugby league with a record crowd of about 30,000 set to turn out at McDonald Jones Stadium.
