Game preview
A quick summary from game one, where NSW won 18-6 at Suncorp Stadium. NSW were a dominant force, and in a way QLD did well to keep the scores as close as they were. QLD scored their only try while NSW were down to 12 men, and they scored it in the corner where the sin binned player would have been defending. At times both teams were imperfect, which isn't unusual in game one of a series, but the NSW defence was the standout. Both teams can improve, but QLD will need to find a lot of improvement to close the gap, and then match whatever improvement NSW still has in them. A challenging prospect, but it's not something QLD haven't done in games of yore. Remember who you are QLD, and find it. Plenty of clever cockies have had a crack at QLD for not picking and sticking with the non-selection of Daly Cherry-Evans. I'll raise a few points on that topic. Firstly, QLD did stick with Cherry-Evans by picking him for game one. There was no shortage of suggestions they should go with someone else at the start of the series. Secondly, NSW were never going to pick their 2024 series captain either, and NSW won last year. Anyone who watched the Manly loss to the Titans on Friday night would likely agree that Slater has done the right thing to come up with a new halves pairing. Deardon and Munster are match winners on their day, but they haven't played together as a halves combination before, and this is a fair contest for a first date. QLD will miss the Cherry-Evans kicking game in general play, I fear. Here's hoping Deardon and Munster can set my mind at ease on that front. Otherwise Kurt Capewell replaces the unlucky Beau Fermor, and Slater has shuffled his back row and interchange quite a bit. He had to do something, and he has to play the cards in his hand. The only changes for NSW were forced upon them and they're both significant. Stefano Utoikamanu joins the interchange, with Max King starting the game at prop to replace the injured Barnett, and Jarome Luai gets the band back together with his childhood friend to replaced the injured Moses. A big out for NSW, but Luai has a long history with many in this NSW side, and he was the starting five-eighth in all three games for NSW last year. I suspect he'll slot in fine. Based on form from game one, it's hard to find a reason to tip QLD, and here's another reason not to. In the previous two games in Perth, NSW have won in dominant fashion (38-6 in 2019 and 44-12 in 2022). There may be some rain around in Perth in the days ahead, but it's expected to clear on game day. It brings me no pleasure to say this, but I think NSW claim the series on Wednesday. Dagnabbit!
Verdict - NSW 28 to QLD 10
Predicted first try scorer - Zac Lomax
Predicted player of the match - Jarome Luai
Registered tipsters are welcome to participate in our State of Origin tipping competition again this year. You can find all the details here.
Game details
Date: Wednesday 18th June 2025
Time: 8.05pm kick-off
Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth
Team list - New South Wales Blues*
- Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers)
- Brian To'o (Penrith Panthers)
- Stephen Crichton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
- Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Zac Lomax (Parramatta Eels)
- Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers)
- Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
- Max King (Canterbury Bulldogs)
- Reece Robson (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
- Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
- Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
- Isaah Yeo (c) (Penrith Panthers)
- Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters)
- Spencer Leniu (Sydney Roosters)
- Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
- Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm)
Team list - Queensland Maroons*
- Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
- Xavier Coates (Melbourne Storm)
- Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters)
- Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Redcliffe Dolphins)
- Valentine Holmes (St George Ilawarra Dragons)
- Cameron Munster (c) (Melbourne Storm)
- Tom Deardon (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)
- Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
- Tino Fa'asumaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
- Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Kurt Capewell (New Zealand Warriors)
- Trent Loiero (Melbourne Storm)
- Kurt Mann (Canterbury Bulldogs)
- Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
- Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
*Team lists are subject to change and will be updated as soon as possible.
Comments
Submitted by The Thinker on
Suggestions that Carrigan and Nanai might start on the bench for QLD - Loiero in the starting thirteen at lock. Possibly Cotter and Capewell the starting backrowers.
Will update when confirmed.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by David.C-Manly1st. on
DCE should be in QLD team therefore I am tipping
N.S.W by 12 pts
24-12
Player of the match
Dylan Edwards
1st try scorer Zac Lomax
Cheers
David
Submitted by Dragons-fanboy on
Hi all, my state of origin predictions are game 2 are:
NSW 36 - Tries: D. Edwards, Z.Lomax, S. Crichton, S. Utoikamanu, N. Cleary and B. To’o
Conversions - N. Cleary 6/6
Qld 16 - Tries: C. Munster, H. Tabuai-Fidow and X.Coates
Conversions - V. Holmes 2/3
Best of luck with the origin game 2 next Wednesday night. Up the Blues let me wrap up this series. Let’s see if Queensland can have their origin spirit on full display it’s origin footy after all anything is possible it’s just Blues look the goods all over the park in my opinion.
Cheers!!!!
Submitted by The Tide Head on
Verdict - Qld 20 NSW 18
Predicted first try scorer - X Coates
Predicted player of the match - Munster
Submitted by The Thinker on
Mitch Moses ruled out with a calf strain - no replacement named as yet.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by Mary S on
Luai has been named a few minutes ago to take Mitch Moses place.
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by The Thinker on
Wayne Bennett is the master at getting the media to focus on him, and allowing his players to do the talking on the field.
The Queenslander in me is hoping Billy Slater is playing six-dimensional chess, and that he's copping all this to help his side win a game they have to win.
That seems unlikely though, and what's more likely is that Aaron Woods has managed to do more damage to a QLD origin campaign off the field than he ever could on it.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by The Thinker on
Six-dimensional chess it is.
:-)
Submitted by Mary S on
Queenslander!!!!!!
The last 10 mins was "heart in mouth" watching, that the result would go our way.
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by The Thinker on
Here's a crazy Origin statistic I just stumbled across:
There have been three State of Origin games played in Perth, and QLD haven't scored a point in the second half of any of them.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by Rocket Ryan on
Why is almost impossible to get a knock back call in the game anymore.
Submitted by Anonymous on
Quote happy with my prediction for game 2 The two point margin in favour of QLD and POTM as follows:
Verdict - Qld 20 NSW 18
Predicted player of the match - Munster
Submitted by The Tide Head on
Ahhh... That anonymous post was by The The Tide Head. I forgot to sign in ;)
Submitted by Esra Star on
Cape Kurtwell should have been in the team for game one.
Submitted by Rocket Ryan on
Outstanding prediction Tide Head in the origin game.
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