We are well and truly in the middle of State of Origin season — and for thousands of Maroons fans it couldn’t be a better time of the year. Although the Maroons were in superb form for the first half of game 1 — gaining a 22-0 lead in the first 21 minutes, the momentum shifted completely after Kalyn Ponga was sent off for a shoulder charge in the second half. In one of the largest comebacks in Origin history, the Blues stormed on to win the match 22-20. Now all eyes are on to game 2 next week. Can Reece Walsh and Cameron Munster muster a much-needed win for the Maroons to extend the series, or will the Blues’ James Tedesco deliver another fatal blow?
The friendly rivalry of New South Wales and Queensland goes way back. Although interstate matches between NSW and Queensland were played as far back as 1908, footballers played for the state where they currently lived and NSW easily won most matches. To level the playing field (pun not intended), Ron McAuliffe and Jack Reardon started the State of Origin series in 1980 — initially as a one-off match where footballers played for the state of their birth. It proved vastly popular and the concept has continued through to this day, albeit with some changes to eligibility rules.
Over the history of Origin, Queensland has decidedly come out as the better team, winning 26 series to 18 wins for New South Wales. Next week, we’ll find out if they can extend this record in 2026, or if the Welshmen will start to gain ground. Who are you rooting for?
– The Editor (Go Maroons!)
