They did it, the Maroons upset the much-fancied Blues in an Adelaide Oval ambush to warm the hearts of those north of the Tweed. New South Wales will be more than ready this time, but was switching Cody Walker in for Luke Keary really the answer to their poor second-half performance in Game 1?
The Blues go into Game 2 even shorter priced favourites, which is exactly what Wayne Bennett and his much-maligned Maroons outfit will have wanted. Absolutely every ounce of pressure now sits on the Blues, in front of their home crowd, the series on the line, and their captain missing. It will be a true test of their determination, as they fight to send the series into a Game 3 decider at Suncorp Stadium.
Wednesday, November 11
New South Wales vs Queensland, ANZ Stadium, 8:10pm (AEDT)
NEW SOUTH WALES: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Clint Gutherson, 4. Jack Wighton, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Daniel Saifiti, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Angus Crichton, 12. Tyson Frizell, 13. Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: 14. Dale Finucane, 15. Junior Paulo, 16. Nathan Brown, 17. Isaah Yeo.
QUEENSLAND: 1. Valentine Holmes, 2. Xavier Coates, 3. Kurt Capewell, 4. Dane Gagai, 5. Phillip Sami, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Dunamis Lui, 9. Jake Friend, 10. Josh Papalii, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Jaydn Su'a, 13. Tino Faasuamaleaui. Interchange: 14. Ben Hunt, 15. Lindsay Collins, 16. Jai Arrow, 17. Moeaki Fotuaika.
Verdict: There is a sense of deja vu about this year's State of Origin series with New South Wales losing the opener 18-14, before throwing their five-eighth under a bus as part of a manic shuffle to right the ship ahead of Game 2.
Unlike last year, the Blues have only a week to sort out their new line-up and this time Cody Walker comes into the side, rather than finding himself as the one under the bus. Will the changes have the same success as last year's moves?
Walker, 30, had a sensational season for the Rabbitohs, and he showed some good signs when he came on for the Blues in Adelaide last week, but is he really the answer? A year and a half on from his forgettable debut as starting five-eighth for NSW, has his game developed to the point where he can take control of the team's attack and turn the tide against the new-look Maroons?
Last year it was James Maloney who was drafted into the NSW line-up and, as brilliant as Walker may be, he simply doesn't have Maloney's big-game presence. The real problem could be that Nathan Cleary is not the Origin halfback everyone hoped he would be when he made his debut. Cleary, without Maloney, has struggled.
In the forwards, the Blues have lost captain Boyd Cordner and Cam Murray, welcoming the return of Dale Finucane and the debut of Isaah Yeo and Eels loose cannon Nathan Brown. Finucane is a more than fair swap for Cordner, whose effectiveness has been hampered by a series of concussions this season. Yeo is an exciting prospect having had a brilliant season for the Panthers, while coach Brad Fittler should hand Brown the infamous Mark Geyer licence to create havoc. Game 1 lacked mongrel and the Blues should look to unleash Brown and shake up the Maroons with their home crowd behind them.
Queensland, meanwhile, will be on a high after winning Game 1 against the odds. Wayne Bennett won't allow any complacency into the camp ahead of what could be a series winning clash at ANZ Stadium. They have a Game 3 at Suncorp Stadium should they require a decider, but the veteran Maroons coach will be keen to end it in Sydney.
The Maroons have lost AJ Brimson for the series, but welcome back Valentine Holmes, as a more than fair replacement. In the forwards Christian Welch drops out through concussion, while Coen Hess has been dropped. Into the side come Dunamis Lui for Welch, Moeaki Fotuaika onto the bench and Jaydn Su'a into the starting side. There are injury concerns for Kurt Capewell, with Brenko Lee waiting in the wings to reclaim his centre spot should Capewell drop out.
The Blues should certainly be more than ready for a contest this time around, but it does not appear that all the moving pieces are in the right locations. James Tedesco looks to be less than 100 percent fit at fullback, Jack Wighton is also struggling in the centres and Clint Gutherson was equal parts brilliant and awful on the other side of the field. Can the straight swap of Walker for Luke Keary overcome everything that was wrong with their second half performance last week?
Considering there were only four points in it and the Blues were coming home strongly when referee Gerard Sutton's earpieces signalled full-time, it's not unreasonable to think the home-ground advantage might see the Blues home. The series could certainly do with a sold-out decider in Queensland the following week.
Tip: Blues by 8
TAB odds: Blues $1.30 (-9.5 $1.90) Maroons $3.50 (+8.5 $1.90)