State of Origin Game 2: NSW Blues vs QLD Maroons full preview and prediction

A changed New South Wales Blues side will make the trek to the Melbourne Cricket Ground in an attempt to keep the 2024 State of Origin series alive against the Queensland Maroons.

Game 1 of the series might have seen the Queensland side run away with a 38-10 victory, but in the grand scheme of things, it was exceptionally difficult to get a read on where the two sides actually sit.

That, of course, is down to the fact the Blues played 72 minutes of the game with 12 men after Joseph Suaalii was sent off for a devastating high shot which left Reece Walsh also out of the remainder of the game.

Billy Slater’s strategy of picking a back in Selwyn Cobbo on the bench came to fruition as a smart play, and the Maroons, despite struggling to dominate the first hour of the game, put on a number of late tries to kick clear with victory.

Fatigue was always going to get the Blues though, and their effort to hang tough with a Queensland side gunning for a third straight Origin series was commended.

That said, they will need to be better as the sides make the trip to the Victorian capital for a clash at a likely sold out Melbourne Cricket Ground. It’s a ground the Blues have had success at previously, but now it’s do-or-die with the chance of forcing a decider at Suncorp Stadium on the line.

The changes must work for the Blues, and there is a strong chance they will with returns from injury and a new-look spine. The Blues clearly have to be better at fifth tackle options with it being one of their main issues in the series opener, and it’s an issue coach Michael Maguire has moved to address in his team selection.

Queensland were also sloppy in patches though, and, without major changes, will rely on the same group of 17 to do the job again, with the likes of Harry Grant needing improved performances for the Maroons to repeat the result they managed in Sydney – a place they have often struggled to win in, even during their enormous run of success over the years.

Queensland would obviously love nothing more than a dead rubber back at home, but there is little doubt they will be up against it during Game 2 against a fired up Blues side looking to make ammends for Game 1, and capitalise on a similar effort level with an even playing field.