The NSW Blues are hot favourites to win Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider at Accor Stadium, but not everyone is on the same page.
Bookies and experts are all tipping a comprehensive NSW victory, despite Queensland’s Game II win in Perth to keep the series alive last month.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dreamworld Tiger predicts State of Origin series winner.
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The Blues have plenty of stars with big-game experience to call on, with players in the team featuring in 64 NRL grand finals and Origin deciders between them, combining for 45 wins.
In comparison, the Maroons have 46 of those games between them for just 26 wins.
But coach Billy Slater has picked a side with plenty of X-factor and, of course, there’s Cameron Munster, who was inspirational in Game II and will be out to honour his late father after his dad’s recent death.
Queensland’s Origin history is also built out of unlikely wins and members of sides that won deciders in 2017, 2020 and 2022 remain in the team.
Slater has also been quick to point out in recent weeks that history means little, as the Maroons try to win two games on the road after being 1-0 down for the first time.
As for the slightly biased crew at the Dreamworld Tiger Island in Queensland, well, they decided to ask one of their “wisest team members”, Adira the tiger, for a prediction (and yes, we do accept that it’s an obvious PR stunt).
So, it comes as a complete shock to absolutely no one, Adira has confidently predicted a Queensland win (watch the video).
Hmmm ... wonder what all the tigers in NSW think about that.
Slater admitted during the week that NSW) was a “great team”.
“We’re not disrespectful to that, we’re not naive to what they’re going to bring,” he said.
“They’re a wonderful footy team and they’re playing at home. It’s going to be tough.
“It’s about our game, it’s about the footy game. It’s about what we can outlay and what we can control.”
- With AAP
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