Stage set for most evenly poised State of Origin series in recent memory

M ost Australian rules fans have forgotten (or chosen to forget) that they owned the State of Origin concept for a century before the big boppers in the north caught on. Since the VFL/AFL abandoned their interstate carnivals in 1993 and ceased all state-based clashes in 1999, rugby league’s State of Origin has become “Australian sport’s greatest rivalry” – the purest expression of mate v mate and state v state. It started as an experiment – Australia’s then-captain Bob Fulton predicted “the non-event of the century” – but 43 years on Origin has become the very essence of rugby league.

Every year Origin plays havoc with club sides whose stars are called to representative duty, introduces more byes to the schedule which warps NRL competition points standings, turns a blind eye to throwback thuggery not condoned in the regular season, and baffles even the most ardent fans on its definition of what “origin” means. Yet it draws record crowds, attracts huge TV ratings and screens in more than 100 countries.

In Papua New Guinea it has sparked riots. Even rugby union-mad New Zealanders are besotted. Best of all, it inspires players to create the best version of the game – and themselves – and this 2023 series may be its biggest year yet. The series opener is being played in Adelaide for the first time in its history (though there are doubts over whether the game will sell out). And now that the NRL is reportedly close to launching the 2024-28 regular seasons with a game in Las Vegas, NFL-mad Americans may soon join the Origin party too.

Until Latrell Mitchell’s withdrawal on Monday morning with a calf strain, New South Wales had selected a magnificent side for Game One on Wednesday. Two blockbuster players in Tom Trbojevic and