<p>Widely regarded as the pinnacle of Rugby League, it’s nearly State of Origin time once again.</p> <p>The 2025 State of Origin series is shaping as one of the hardest to predict in recent years, as both states have a number of things working for and against them.</p> <p>The once mighty Maroons are in the lurch, with a number of their stars rapidly approaching their expiry dates, or badly out of form.</p> <p>Still, you won’t hear any excuses from Billy Slater and his staff as they set out to reclaim the shield after having it ripped from their grasp last year.</p> <p>For the Blues, it’s a case of back to the future for the Blues who have reinstalled Laurie Daley as head coach, following Michael Maguire’s appointment to the Broncos hotseat.</p> <p>They would have obviously had no intentions of parting company with Madge, who managed to do what few NSW mentors have in recent years – win at the first time of asking.</p> <p>Like Queensland though, NSW simply have to deal with the circumstances that have been thrust upon them, and Daley appears ready to run it back in the Origin arena once more.</p> <p>Can he get his second tenure as NSW coach off to a winning start? Or will Maroons rally on their home turf and take their first step towards reclaiming the Origin shield they once held under lock and key? Let’s find out.</p> <p>For the latest State of Origin Game 1 teams lists, analysis, news and betting tips, check out our State of Origin Game 1 predictions.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>State of Origin Game 1 Team Lists</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Queensland</h3> <p>1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)</p> <p>2. Xavier Coates (Melbourne Storm)</p> <p>3. Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)</p> <p>5. Valentine Holmes (St George Illawarra Dragons)</p> <p>6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)</p> <p>7. Daly Cherry-Evans © (Manly Sea Eagles)</p> <p>8. Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)</p> <p>9. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)</p> <p>10. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)</p> <p>11. Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)</p> <p>12. Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)</p> <p>13. Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)</p> <p>14. Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys)</p> <p>15. Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>16. Beau Fermor (Gold Coast Titans)</p> <p>17. Trent Loiero (Melbourne Storm)</p> <p>18. Kurt Mann (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)</p> <p>19. Jesse Arthars (Brisbane Broncos)</p> <p>20. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (Dolphins)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>New South Wales</h3> <p>1. Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>2. Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>3. Stephen Crichton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)</p> <p>4. Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)</p> <p>5. Zac Lomax (Parramatta Eels)</p> <p>6. Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels)</p> <p>7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>8. Mitchell Barnett (Warriors)</p> <p>9. Reece Robson (North Queensland Cowboys)</p> <p>10. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)</p> <p>11. Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>12. Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>13. Isaah Yeo (c) (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>14. Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>15. Spencer Leniu (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>16. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>17. Max King (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)</p> <p>18. Campbell Graham (South Sydney Rabbitohs)</p> <p>19. Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm)</p> <p>20. Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)</p>

<h2>State of Origin Game 2 Predictions and Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Head-to-Head Prediction</h3> <p>On paper, it’s no doubt New South Wales are the more appealing of the two sides here.</p> <p>Armed to the teeth with top talent from throughout the NRL, the Blues are packing some of the most talented, explosive and mercurial players of the last 20 years.</p> <p>With names like Nathan Cleary, Latrell Mitchell, Payne Haas and Isaah Yeo littered throughout their lineup, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to discover they are favourites in the H2H market.</p> <p>However, there’s one factor that we believe is being overlooked by supporters and pundits alike – the legend of Lang Park.</p> <p>When Queensland run out on Suncorp Stadium, or Lang Park as it was once called, they rarely leave it defeated.</p> <p>With Game 1 of the 2025 State of Origin series set to be played at Suncorp, we can’t help but throw our support behind the Maroons.</p> <p>The likes of Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster and Valentine Holmes come alive irrespective of club form whenever they have 50,000 crazed Queenslanders cheering them on and we reckon another famous Maroons ambush could be on the cards here.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Queensland.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>First Try Scorer Prediction</h3> <p>Unsurprisingly there are a number of intriguing options from either state for this market.</p> <p>For QLD there’s recognised Origin try-scoring specialists like the Hammer and Holmes and more unproven quantities like 10-game rookie Robert Toia.</p> <p>The Blues have plenty of bullets in the chamber themselves. Lomax, Latrell, To’o and both backrowers Crichton and Martin are all partial to picking up points.</p> <p>For us though, we’ve singled our one man for this market. Always the man for the big occasion, Latrell Mitchell is our pick for first try scorer here.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Latrell Mitchell.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Over/Under Prediction</h3> <p>Notoriously low scoring and cagey affairs, 10 of the last 14 Origin 1 matches have gone under the total match points line.</p> <p>The blowouts and firefights are normally reserved for later in the series, as ball security and a few penalties as possible are the main priorities early in the piece.</p> <p>We’re tipping this Suncorp showdown to go under the set total match points line of 38.5.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Under total match points.</p>

<h2>State of Origin Game 1 2025 Match Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date: </strong>Wednesday, May 28, 2025.</p> <p><strong>Kick-off:</strong> 8:05pm AEST.</p> <p><strong>Location: </strong>Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland.&nbsp;</p>