Key events
CONVERTED TRY! NSW 0-12 Queensland (Flegler, 14)
Olakau’atu runs strongly into the Queensland defence but he can’t break the line – the Maroons have no such problem, returning Cleary’s kick with interest courtesy of Ponga’s vision, Cobbo’s strength and Tabuai-Fidow’s pace streaking down the left. Thereafter the Blues are playing catch-up and by the last tackle the Maroons are in sniffing distance waiting for a moment of magic – Grant provides it – somehow offloading a flick reverse pass as he’s scragged, with the ball quickly shoveled on to the onrushing Flegler who is unstoppable so close to the posts and he crashes over to end an agonising three-year injury nightmare.
Walker makes it two from two from under the dot.
13 mins: NSW have made two errors coming out of defence and were punished for the second of those. They’re now pinged with the first set restart of the night for offside, allowing Queensland to drive to halfway on the restart set and kick long to Tedesco.
CONVERTED TRY! NSW 0-6 Queensland (Toia, 11)
Off the scrum, Ponga darts to the left but he’s dumped forcefully by To’o. Queensland recycle the ball back infield and two tackles later Sam Walker comes of age in State of Origin, dabbing the ball onto his right boot for his onrushing Roosters teammate Robert Toia to scamper through and touch down unopposed. Walker had spotted Young out of position after coming in to scrag Munster on the previous tackle, and with Tedesco marshalling the posts, the gap was there and Walker was brave enough to go for it.
The debutant then goes back and slots over the conversion from just inside the right touchline. Marvellous start for the No 7.
9 mins: Walker – who has looked industrious early – links with Munster, then Ponga, as Queensland go through hands for the first time. It’s still pretty conservative route one footy early though – and that strategy is proven wise as Crichton makes a mess of the play-the-ball coming out of defence and the visitors will have a scrum 30m out.
7 mins: One of those forecast showers is making conditions slipperier so Queensland kick long and low on tackle four but Tedesco shows great footwork to avoid catastrophe. The Blues do well to give Cleary decent field position to launch a bomb – but Cobbo does magnificently to claim it in the sir under duress.
5 mins: NSW get through a set safely, and kick long to Cobbo whi is hunted down by Olakau’atu. Queensland take no risks completing another set. NSW respond positively through To’o and Robson with both sides happy to play through the corridor and build into the rhythm of representative footy.
3 mins: From the scrum 40m out on the right Queensland build dangerously and threaten to unleash through Ponga hitting the line on tackle five and driving towards the left corner. NSW defend stoutly. Munster kicks high to the right corner where Fifita wins the tap-back in the air but the Blues are quick to the crumbs and smother the second ball. Excellent defence.
2 mins: A shallow kick-off forces Munster to return the opening drive of the series. The Queensland skipper holds his ground then the Maroons go one-out through forwards until Munster is back in the action to kick to the 20m line on the last. NSW get four tackles into their first set until Barnett is mauled by Capewell. The Queenslander has a nibble after the tackle is completed and the ball comes free, but the decision is given as a knock-on against Barnett, who chooses not to challenge. Big advantage early for the visitors.
Kick-off!
2026 State of Origin is under way…
Prematch formalities taken care of, the two sides drift to their portions of the field and embrace in tight huddles brimming with nervous energy. Who will emerge victorious an hour and a half from now? Who will etch their name in Origin history?
“Just chuckled at your Origin scenesetter on an Arriva Wales train somewhere on the border between Hereford and Abergavenny,” emails Andy Wilson. “Not sure how popular it would be in Australia, but from this distance we can take a bit of pride in Ashley Klein’s run of 13 consecutive Origins – which even some of his critics must concede is remarkable. He’s come a long way from lower league matches over here in Dewsbury and Workington.” Enjoy the match Andy, perhaps our only Welsh correspondent.
Now come NSW to partisan cheers from the 80,000 packed inside Accor Stadium. Isaah Yeo diverts his team through a very unnecessary sponsor curtain thing (definitely not an AFL crepe banner) in sky blue jerseys with navy shorts and trim.
Out run Queensland’s starting 13 to deafening boos. The visitors, led by Cameron Munster, are bedecked in maroon with white trim.
For the 13th match in a row and 21st in total, tonight’s whistleblower is Ashley Klein.
NSW won the toss and will kick-off.
It is going to be a greasy Origin opener with Sydney seeing plenty of rain over the past 24 hours and showers forecast during the match. There’s not much wind around and temperatures are mild. “We’ve got to take a little more pride and care in the play-the-ball,” offers Grant about the conditions.
Harry Grant was asked about his side’s new halves pairing, and the influence of Sam Walker on the team. “It’s been enjoyable to build that combination,” he said. “Really talented players individually and hopefully both those boys can bring that creativity tonight.”
With Grant, Cameron Munster, and Kalyn Ponga in the 13, Sam Walker won’t be asked to shoulder too much of the burden on debut, which should afford him the freedom to shine.
James Tedesco – drowning in a navy blazer with thick sky blue piping, making him look like a recalcitrant student at an expensive North Shore private school – tells the host broadcaster: “It’s been a great week. Can’t ask for better preparation.”
He offers some more blandishments but I lose concentration, never failing to be distracted when confronted by Australian sport’s obsession with patronising athletes in this manner. Cricket does it, AFL does it, it just looks weird.
The list of absentees tonight could make a handy representative side: Coates, Trbojevic, Nawaqanitawase, Wighton, Best, Moses, Dearden, Martin, and Haas are all injured, while father time has caught up with Origin stalwarts Cherry-Evans, Holmes, Gagai, and Papali’i. Walsh, Crichton, Luai, Leniu, and plenty more stellar footballers have been overlooked, while Lomax, influential in 2025, is no longer playing the same sport.
Perhaps even more remarkably, the home team hasn’t won in Origin since game three 2023. The Blues have lost three of their last four games in Sydney, and extended further that includes their last four series-openers on home turf.
Can the understrength Maroons continue the streak tonight?
Remarkably, there are no Broncos players in Queensland’s starting 13, despite the state’s preeminent outfit winning last year’s NRL grand final. Meanwhile, Bronco Kotoni Staggs does start for the Blues.
Queensland XIII
Only seven of the 13 Queenslanders that started the 2025 decider will run out for the 2026 series kick-off. An unfamiliar backline will rely on the instincts of fullback Kalyn Ponga and halfback Sam Walker while the pack will be driven forward by the muscle of Dolphins Thomas Flegler and Max Plath. Billy Slater has opted for a more conventional bench than his NSW counterpart, with Ezra Mam the only wildcard option if his side is forced to chase the game.
QLD: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Selwyn Cobbo, 3. Robert Toia, 4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 5. Jojo Fifita, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Thomas Flegler, 9. Harry Grant, 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 11, Reuben Cotter, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Max Plath, Interchange: 14. Briton Nikora, 15, Lindsay Collins, 16, Pat Carrigan, 17, Trent Loiero, 18. Ezra Mam, 19. Gehamat Shibasaki, Reserve: 20. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
NSW XIII
A new-look New South Wales outfit will bid to regain the State of Origin shield with coach Laurie Daley making 12 changes from his previous line-up and selecting six debutants in his matchday 19.
Tolu Koula and Addin Fonua-Blake were the only two newcomers named in Daley’s initial run-on side, but they have since been joined by Canberra five-eighth Ethan Strange, who was called up after Mitchell Moses was ruled out on Tuesday morning.
“He had a strain of the hammy, it’s nothing major but too risky 48 hours out from the game,” Blues coach Laurie Daley explained. “Any time you get a pinch of the hammy you just haven’t got enough time in 48 hours. Ethan Strange will start and Matt Burton will come on to the bench.”
Other notable selections include former skipper James Tedesco forcing his way back into the number one jersey ahead of Dylan Edwards, and internationals Victor Radley (England), and Casey McLean (New Zealand) both benefitting from the change in Origin eligibility criteria to line up on the bench for the first time.
NSW: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Brian To’o, 3. Stephen Crichton, 4. Kotoni Staggs, 5. Tolu Koula, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Mitch Barnett, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Haumole Olakau’atu, 13. Isaah Yeo (capt). Interchange: 14. Cameron Murray, 15. Victor Radley, 16. Jacob Saifiti, 17. Blayke Brailey, 19. Casey McLean, 21. Matt Burton. Reserve: 20. Dylan Lucas.
Jack Snape
It might still be Maroons v Blues, but make no mistake: rugby league’s showpiece looks different this year.”
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of men’s State of Origin Game 1. Kick-off between New South Wales and Queensland at Accor Stadium in Sydney is scheduled for 8.05pm AEST.
Like Punxsutawney Phil, this page emerges annually from hibernation. Every year it predicts the greatest contest in Australian sport. Most years it’s proven accurate. It is the best kind of Groundhog Day.
The sport of rugby league is in rude health. It is faster and more skilful than ever. The NRL in particular is flourishing, with each round of matches demonstrating an even distribution of talent and clubs separated by the finest of margins.
State of Origin is where these high-quality ingredients receive the Michelin Star treatment.
As always seems to be the case Queensland enter the series as both defending champions and underdogs. This year they enter with a depleted squad, leaders out of form, and beginning the series in enemy territory. History has proven all of that will likely count for little by 10pm on 8 July when the shield will be presented to the victorious captain.
Not for the first time in recent seasons NSW look awesome on paper. But doubts persist over their ability to get over the line when it matters most. Laurie Daley enters with an Origin coaching record of just seven wins from 18 matches. Nathan Cleary is this generation’s singular talent but has rarely replicated his imperious form in Penrith black for the Blues.
This year more than most the absentees cast a long shadow. The greatest modern coach, Craig Bellamy, has not joined up with the NSW camp due to a neurodegenerative disorder. Jai Arrow will never wear Maroon again as he adjusts to live with motor neurone disease. Payne Haas, the pre-eminent forward in the game, is injured, as is Latrell Mitchell, the sport’s most maverick outside back. Tom Dearden, last year’s Wally Lewis medallist, is out for the foreseeable with syndesmosis. And Reece Walsh will also not feature tonight, with the man responsible for one of the most jaw-dropping grand final performances in sporting history just six months ago overlooked for selection while he recovers from a facial fracture.
But these absent friends will soon be out of sight and out of mind when Ashley Klein blows the whistle that starts hostilities for the 2026 edition of Australian sport’s epic annual trilogy.
Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the evening. The address is jonathan.howcroft.casual@guardian.comco.uk.
