Its State of Origin time!

Its that time of year again!

State of Origin kicks off a week today at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The Australians are celebrating 30 years of what is the most anticipated three matches of the summer. And with that, the two squads were selected and announced on Monday.

Without further ado, the New South Wales side will be:

1. Kurt Gidley (Newcastle)
2. Brett Morris (St George Illawarra)
3. Matt Cooper (St George Illawarra)
4. Timana Tahu (Parramatta)
5. Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta)
6. Jamie Lyon (Manly)
7. Brett Kimmorley (Bulldogs)
8. Michael Weyman (St George Illawarra)
9. Michael Ennis (Bulldogs)
10. Josh Perry (Manly)
11. Trent Waterhouse (Penrith)
12. Ben Creagh (St George Illawarra)
13. Anthoney Watmough (Manly)

14. Jamal Idris (Bulldogs)
15. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (Canberra)
16. Luke Lewis (Penrith)
17. Brett White (Melbourne)

I said it last year, and I will say it again this year. New South Wales are missing the quality of half backs that Queensland will have. Its what has cost them the last four series. It was more evident last year than ever when Jamie Soward should have been selected. Terry Campese flopped in game one and they replaced him with Trent Barrett, who past his best before he moved to Wigan and went back to the NRL.All of this was despite Campese had the better game between him and scrum half Peter Wallace. But Wallace gets the second shot in game two and when the series is over by game three they select two players with the combined age of 63 years to run in the halfs and past their best five years ago.

This year they have brought in Jamie Lyon at five eighth. A man who wants to play Origin one minute, then changes his mind the next. Because the selectors for NSW can see that the tried and tested partnership of Darren Lockyer and Jonathan Thurston works for Queensland, they think it will work for them. The only difference is, Lockyer and Thurston have been playing together at representative level for years. They  have played together for Australia since Andrew Johns retired, so have developed a winning partnership that finally clicked many moons ago. The same hasn't developed for NSW because the selectors want immediate success, and after four straight Origin losses who can blame them? But they won't get that series win unless they can gel two players together in the halfs. Then NSW half backs can start to claim that green and gold jersey.

So what of the Queensland team? Here is it:

1. Billy Slater (Melbourne)
2. Darius Boyd (St George Illawarra)
3. Greg Inglis (Melbourne)
4. Willie Tonga (North Queensland)
5. Israel Folau (Brisbane)
6. Darren Lockyer (Brisane)
7. Jonathan Thurston (North Queensland)
8. Matthew Scott (North Queensland)
9. Cameron Smith (Melbourne)
10. Petero Civoniceva (Penrith)
11. Nate Miles (Sydney)
12. Sam Thaiday (Brisbane)
13. Ashley Harrison (Gold Coast)

14. Cooper Cronk (Melbourne)
15. David Shillington (Canberra)
16. Neville Costigan (St George Illawarra)
17. David Taylor (South Sydney)

18. Ben Te'o

For the four Melbourne players, it might be nice to actually play a competitive match for once. Joking aside, that team excels in the half back roles as I mentioned earlier. Other than that, the two teams are very evenly matched. The Queensland backs may have the edge on New South Wales, but I feel the NSW pack is a lot stronger. On paper it might seem very close, but my pre series predictions are an easy pick.

Game one winner: New South Wales. They are on home turf and I think they could be motivated to get that first win on the board early.

Series winner: Queensland. Overall, I can't see anything but a fifth straight series win for the Maroons.