For the first time in history the State of Origin series sits as a standalone event at the end of the footy season: a fitting showcase for rugby league's greatest spectacle. Over three successive weeks the Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues will go head-to-head for the chance to hoist the coveted Origin shield. Will the Blues continue their recent dominance and make it three series wins in a row? Or will a plucky Maroons side, who revel in the underdog tag, wrestle back the prize from their southern adversaries?
