Rugby league’s State of Origin formula is well established: state against state, mate against mate. No pairing proves that slogan more than new New South Wales captain Jake Trbojevic and Queensland’s Daly Cherry-Evans. The pair are long-term teammates at Manly, but each will lead their state in Wednesday’s first men’s Origin clash at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
It’s just one of several tantalising story arcs this year that both uphold and upend parts of rugby league’s great tradition.
NSW pin hopes on Origin newbie
The Blues brought an end to a generation of Maroons dominance when they appointed Brad Fittler coach in 2018. The change helped the southerners record back-to-back series wins, and Fittler emerged as a players’ coach that allowed talent to shine. But the formula stopped working, and NSW claimed just one series in four years.
Maroons great Billy Slater has replicated Fittler’s early success since taking over in 2022, winning Queensland consecutive contests.
Now a new Origin coaching rookie has arrived. Fittler was replaced this season by former Souths, Wests and New Zealand coach Michael Maguire. A former fringe first-grade player, Maguire made his name as a coach at the Rabbitohs, where he won the premiership in 2014, demanding effort and a commitment to fundamentals from his players.
But the 50-year-old has had mixed success in recent years. Having never worn the blue jersey, Wednesday’s showdown at Accor Stadium serves as an 80-minute trial of Maguire’s credentials.
Lamenting absent stars
Cameron Munster is just one of several of rugby league’s high-profile absentees. The Blues’ Nathan Cleary, the halfback of Penrith’s three premierships, seriously injured his hamstring last month and will miss the series. Tom Trbojevic and Cam Murray are also unavailable for the Blues.
Queensland’s Kalyn Ponga, the 2023 Dally M medallist, has a serious foot complaint and is out as well, alongside Maroons front-rowers Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Thomas Flegler.
NSW fullback Dylan Edwards, Cleary’s team-mate at Penrith, was a notable selection ahead of former captain James Tedesco. But, in keeping to the growing injury trend, a late quad issue has ruled Edwards out, and brought Tedesco back into the Blues side only this week.
A win for Channel Nine
State of Origin is Channel Nine’s most reliable draw. The three matches in last year’s men’s series were among the network’s four most-watched programs in 2023 (the other was the NRL grand final).
In the wake of reports of internal disharmony at the network and allegations of inappropriate behaviour, the series is a chance for the broadcaster to return to what it does best.
The network is deploying more than 60 broadcast cameras and more than 140 broadcast crew at Accor Stadium. As more Australians turn to streaming services, 9Now will broadcast the game simultaneously with its free-to-air coverage.
And it will also offer three second-screen streaming options, including cameras that track stars Reece Walsh and Nicho Hynes for the duration of the match, as well as a view from the camera-on-wire Spidercam.
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The new sound of Origin
Legendary caller Ray Warren retired in 2022, and there has been much speculation over whose voice will become the next soundtrack of rugby league. The decision triggered a period of transition in broadcast presentation, amplified by Blues legend Phil Gould retiring his pre-match, on-field Origin monologue.
Channel Nine has backed Matthew Thompson as Warren’s replacement, and his professional performance has helped the network avoid excessive backlash, even if the change has proven an adjustment for nostalgic fans.
The network’s strategy in this new era is to maximise the sporting credibility of those around Thompson, as well as host James Bracey – another graduate of the school of broadcast, rather than rugby league.
With a line-up including immortal Andrew Johns and likely immortal Cameron Smith in commentary, as well as former players Gould, Fittler, Johnathan Thurston, Darren Lockyer, Paul Vautin, Paul Gallen and Allana Ferguson, the network has boasted its team has played 275 combined Origin games, as well as coached 42.
This year’s series will also include a guest appearance from Queensland’s regular five-eighth Munster, who has withdrawn due to injury.
Colliding concerns
Rugby league is a game of collisions, and the most ferocious are found in State of Origin. There is no more fearsome – and wince-inducing – play than a prop running out of his in-goal from a kick-off, and crashing into a fast-advancing defensive line.
But the game is wisening up to the risk of concussions, and these high-velocity impacts from long-kick offs have been cited as an area the game may have to abandon for the welfare of the players.
The start of Origin game three in 2022 saw three players concussed within three minutes in these high-octane opening stages. Fans and administrators will be hoping the players come through Wednesday’s clash unscathed.
No longer just the blokes
Women’s State of Origin goes back to 2018, and the Women’s Interstate Challenge another two decades, but 2024 is the year the series finally earned an equal footing. For the first time, the three-match showpiece of the men’s game has been accompanied by a three-match women’s series.
The opener was won by the Blues in Brisbane last month 22-12. The game attracted 941,000 in average television audience, some 380,000 viewers more than the AFL’s Gold Coast versus Geelong broadcast on the same night. That match also set a new crowd record of 25,492. Thursday’s game two in Newcastle at the 30,000-capacity McDonald Jones Stadium is already sold out.
By comparison, there were still tickets available on Tuesday morning for the men’s opener at the 77,000-seat Accor Stadium, where the Matildas played China in front of a full house on Monday.