17m ago 05.00 EDT Preamble Megan Maurice
Hello and welcome to the very first State of Origin game for 2026! And it’s a massive one to kick us off, in the spiritual home of rugby league – Newcastle. And no, I will not be entering into debate on that.
Unfortunately for the Blues, despite usually having a loud home crowd behind them, it has not been a happy hunting ground, but they will be aiming to reverse that trend tonight. After securing the shield in a 2-1 series win in 2025, the Blues will be desperate to hold on to it and a strong win in the Hunter will put them on track.
They certainly look the stronger of the two teams on paper, with the Maroons losing key players from last year’s series – including Ali Brigginshaw (retired) and Tarryn Aiken (ACL). However, as we all know, you never, ever write off a Queensland team in Origin, even if they have only been able to assemble the South Logan Magpies under-10s, they will find a way to win.
Kick off will be at 7.45pm AEST and there’s plenty to discuss before then, so let’s get into it!