New South Wales’ determined State of Origin victory in the Brisbane decider last season has earned their many returning players favouritism in this year’s series, which kicks off on Wednesday at Suncorp Stadium.
The pressure will be on Billy Slater’s Maroons to make the most of the home crowd in the opener, particularly after the pain of last season and with game two in Perth a potential decider in Sydney. In 2024, the Blues won the shield in a Brisbane decider for the first time since 2005, and 13 of those players return to the scene of the heist on Wednesday night.
