Fighting the odds

SIMPLY Your Best.

The pressure has been applied to a fragile Queensland with the bookies and NSW coach Brad Fittler declaring the Maroons will need one of their greatest performances to overcome the Blues.

“I get the impression that Queensland will need to be at their best ( to beat us),” Fittler said. “I feel like our blokes, they’re ready, they’re strong.”

The city of Adelaide hosts State of Origin for the first- time in the game’s history tonight with a COVID- 19 restricted capacity crowd of 26,500 set to attend the famous Adelaide Oval.

And on a night of records, including the first Origin match to be played in November, Fittler’s belief in his Blues to take a 1- 0 nil series lead is endorsed by the revelation that NSW will start the shortest- price to win an Origin match in TAB history. The Blues’ $ 1.33 odds to beat Queensland is the shortest headto- head price for an Origin game since TAB offered sports betting in 1998.

Queensland, who have injury concerns to centre Brenko Lee and utility Kurt Capewell going into the match, are friendless at $ 3.30.

The Blues are also a record- low $ 1.25 to wrap- up the entire series with veteran coach Wayne Bennett‘ s Cane Toads installed at $ 4.

An unlikely victory for the Maroons, who are without a host of stars due to injury and suspension including Michael Morgan, Valentine Holmes, Kalyn Ponga and Kyle Feldt, as well as Josh McGuire ( overlooked), would be one of the greatest upsets in Origin history.

Queensland will have at least seven players on debut, their most since game one in 2006. The Blues will have three debutants, including right- centre Clint Gutherson, five- eighth Luke Keary and front- rower Junior Paulo.

Fittler was certain that given his major influence on the team, Keary was ready to steer the Blues, who will combine with Nathan Cleary for the first time on the Origin stage.

Fittler is aiming to become just the second NSW coach to claim the treble behind Phil Gould who did so from 1992- 94.