Queensland expect respect because NSW gave them too much of it for too long. But those days appear to be over. It’s the Blues to win State of Origin III.

This is not me being parochial. I’ve tipped the Maroons far more often than I’ve tipped NSW over the years. I just think the tide has turned slightly in favour of the Blues.

Not so much because of last year’s series win, but by what happened in Game 2 of the current series at the MCG.

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Entering the last 20 minutes, that match was there to be won by either team, but it was NSW that powered home over the top of the opposition.

That ability to finish the better in the dying stages of a tight match and get the win has been almost exclusively the domain of Queensland in the last decade.

Particularly in games where the referees actually kept the two teams apart, which was the case in Melbourne.

It seemed almost predictable at times that it would happen that way, too. The Maroons had built a magnificent side, full of superstars, and it was like the Blues subconsciously accepted they had to play second fiddle.

But there is no longer even remotely any hint of that. Certainly not with players like David Klemmer and Aaron Woods to light the fire.

Klemmer has been a revelation for the Blues. His clashes with veteran Queensland forward Corey Parker mark what this series has been all about – a sense of entitlement from the Maroons and a sense of you’re only entitled to what you earn from the Blues.



Woods will tell you he used to think too much about the game before his first few Origin matches and was worn out before kick-off. Now he just takes it as it comes and he has been the best prop from either side so far in this series.

This could be another tight and gripping contest.

The return from injury of Cooper Cronk for Queensland is obviously very important. He manages a game better than any other halfback in the NRL and his understanding with halves partner Johnathan Thurston is first-class.

But – not including Thurston and Cronk here – there are a few of those Maroons in their 30s now who are starting to look their age in the high-intensity, fast-paced Origin arena.

One of those is centre Justin Hodges, who struggled opposite Michael Jennings in Game 2. If the referees keep the two teams apart again, then Hodges is in trouble again. That right there could be where the game is won and lost.

Queensland have had to rejig their backline with fullback Billy Slater out injured and that includes Will Chambers moving from wing to centre while another centre, Dane Gagai, comes in on the wing.

That scenario must give the Blues something to attack.

Chambers is normally a centre, but if you look at a replay of Jack Reed’s try for Brisbane against Melbourne four days after Origin II you will see Chambers getting into trouble with a bad defensive read. NSW have probably picked up on it.



If Robbie Farah is forced out by injury, as anticipated, Michael Ennis will come in at hooker for the Blues and that will be okay. Two different types of players, but each brings something a team can use in a massive game like this.

Ennis would treat it as the chance of a lifetime if he got a run, four years after he was dropped from the NSW team. Don’t doubt his ability to make a big impact.

Wednesday’s game will be played with an extraordinary back-drop involving Maroons captain Cameron Smith, following weekend newspaper and television stories on Alex McKinnon.

McKinnon made clear his resentment at Smith for arguing at length with the referee about the penalty awarded following the tackle on McKinnon in last year’s fateful Melbourne-Newcastle game that left him in a wheelchair.

He was particularly angry with Storm captain Smith’s comment to the referee that “if he doesn’t duck his head, that doesn’t happen”.

Smith, like countless players before him, is well known for trying to influence referees – and he is very good at it.

I’d like to think that on this occasion he was immersed in ‘working’ the referee again and wasn’t aware of the gravity of the situation regarding McKinnon.

Surely, if you were aware that the on-field treatment being administered to McKinnon was much more than just precautionary you wouldn’t be going on and on about a penalty.



But it obviously wasn’t a good look and Wayne Bennett’s comment on 60 Minutes that from his experience Smith is a good person who got it wrong on the night summed the situation up pretty well.

This is a conflict McKinnon and Smith can only attempt to resolve by talking.

Hopefully, they will get around to doing that.