Men’s State of Origin series begins tonight with game one at Brisbane’s Lang Park

The men's State of Origin series gets underway in Brisbane tonight, with the Maroons and Blues re-igniting their rivalry at Lang Park.

Transcript

00:00I don't know if it's cold here in Queensland, whether that's the weather, or the icy blues

00:08making a triumphant return to take back what's rightfully theirs.

00:12It is the best time of the year.

00:14It's mate versus mate, a rivalry as old as time, the state of origin which has all the

00:19makings of a great film.

00:21We've got the heroes, the villains, yeah, and of course the comeback and the redemption

00:28story and boy do the Maroons need a redemption after last year's thrashing by the Blues right

00:34here in a Brisbane Decider 14-4.

00:37Now 13 of those original players that were on the field that fateful night will be making

00:41a return to the scene of the crime tonight.

00:44It is going to be spectacular.

00:46Speaking to some super fans here on the ground, many say they just can't wait.

00:51I'm over the moon, look at the blue sky, that's a sign for us today, so come on Blues.

00:57And tell me about meeting Paul, so you guys just met this morning?

01:01Yeah, I just thought I'd come down for a walk because I only just live over the road and

01:05I thought I'd come down and have a look around and then I saw Uncle Ian and I thought, hello,

01:09I'm going home to change into my Blues and that's how I come back.

01:12How do you feel, Paul, about matching almost?

01:14Oh, we're good.

01:15I don't mean, you know, it's a rivalry between state against state, mate against mate and country

01:22versus country.

01:23Now all eyes for the Blues are going to be on Stephen Crichton who unfortunately suffered

01:28a corked thigh after training on Monday night.

01:32He's been given the all clear but of course Campbell Graham is on standby just to take

01:36the pitch in case for the series opener.

01:39But Billy Slater's Queensland side has not been without injury either.

01:42Of course speed star Hamaso Tabua Fido also suffered an injury to his knee on Sunday.

01:48He too has been given the all clear with the players list nice and submitted.

01:53But what will be interesting about this game for the Queenslanders in particular is the

01:56return of Cameron Munster after a two year hiatus due to injury.

02:02Another interesting point is going to be the debutants or perhaps the sheer lack of in comparison

02:06with the women's state of origin.

02:08This year the Blues boast only one single state of origin debutant in the form of Max King,

02:15while the Queenslander camp has only three debutants taking the field for tonight.

02:19It is going to be very interesting.

02:21Now the cauldron here at Lang Park has been primed and prepped.

02:25It's ready for a maroons boiling.

02:27This is of course the 45th anniversary of the game's showpiece and boy is it going to be exciting

02:33as everyone heads to the game for tonight.

02:36I've only got one thing left to say, go the Blues!