Game 2 of the State Of Origin 2013 series will be played tonight at Suncorp Stadium. The opening kick is set to commence at 8pm local time with the home team Queensland Maroons currently holding favouritism in the match. View our State Of Origin live scores and teams for the game between Queensland Maroons and NSW Blues.
WHERE AND WHEN: Suncorp Stadium, Wednesday, June 26 at 8pm EST
Opening odds comparison:
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 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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| Queensland Maroons | 1.52 | 1.48 | 1.48 | 1.48 | 1.52 | 1.53 |
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New South Wales Blues
|
2.60 | 2.72 | 2.70 | 2.72 | 2.60 | 2.55 |
Teams:
Queensland Maroons:
| Player | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Slater | ||||
| Darius Boyd | ||||
| Greg Inglis | ||||
| Justin Hodges | ||||
| Brent Tate | ||||
| Johnathan Thurston | ||||
| Cooper Cronk | ||||
| Corey Parker | ||||
| Sam Thaiday | ||||
| Chris McQueen | ||||
| Nate Myles | ||||
| Cameron Smith | ||||
| Matthew Scott | ||||
| Daly Cherry-Evans | ||||
| Ben Te’o | ||||
| Matt Gillett | ||||
| Josh Papalii |
New South Wales Blues:
| Player | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Dugan | ||||
| Brett Morris | ||||
| Michael Jennings | ||||
| Josh Morris | ||||
| Nathan Merritt | ||||
| James Maloney | ||||
| Mitchell Pearce | ||||
| Greg Bird | ||||
| Luke Lewis | ||||
| Ryan Hoffman | ||||
| Aaron Woods | ||||
| Robbie Farah | ||||
| Paul Gallen | ||||
| Andrew Fifita | ||||
| Trent Merrin | ||||
| Anthony Watmough | ||||
| Josh Reynolds |
No Blues advice for Cherry-Evans
Club loyalties only stretch so far at Manly, it seems.
Queensland playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans has revelled in picking Andrew Johns’ brain since the Immortal joined the Manly Sea Eagles NRL coaching staff full-time this year.
However, Cherry-Evans admits he hit a brick wall with Johns and even Manly coach Geoff Toovey – both former NSW halfbacks – when the topic switched to State of Origin.
“Even though they are my club coaches they are still Blues players, so they’re politically aligned somewhere else – so no heads up from them,” he smiled.
Still, Cherry-Evans has received no shortage of advice ahead of his Origin debut in Queensland’s must-win game two clash at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
“I’ve been very spoilt this year in the people I’ve got around me,” he said.
“I’ve got Andrew Johns and Geoff Toovey at the Sea Eagles and now (Maroons halves) Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk (in Queensland team).
“I hope to be smart enough to get everything I can out of those guys.
“They (Thurston-Cronk) gave me a big welcome and congratulations. All the team have done that.
“The support makes me feel comfortable and puts my mind at ease that they’ve got my back.”
Cherry-Evans will need all the information he can get as he attempts to pull off one of Queensland’s most challenging, and important, roles – the utility bench player.
Training at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast team camp Cherry-Evans has been spotted playing on the right wing, right centre, hooker and backrow as well as in the halves.
Queensland captain Cameron Smith said Cherry-Evans would add another dimension to their attack.
“Daly’s a very versatile type of player who can play in various positions so it gives us that added value of an extra half on the field as well so we can add a bit of pressure to the NSW defensive line from all over the park,” he said.
In a scary thought for the Blues, Smith said there was a “big chance” Cherry-Evans, Cronk, Thurston and himself would be on the field at the same time on Wednesday night.
“Mal hasn’t indicated that he’s going to be taking me off the field for a rest at all so I believe he’ll (Cherry-Evans) be used in a similar fashion to what Cooper was used when he was on the interchange bench (from 2010-11).”