Can the Queensland Maroons muscle up to the Blues?

Maroons coach Wayne Bennett has hit back at critics of his injury-plagued squad, which has been labelled as Queensland’s worst State of Origin team in 25 years.

Bennett says Queensland’s new-look team will muscle up to the Blues in tonight’s Origin opener at Adelaide Oval.

It is the first time in history that an Origin match will be played in South Australia, with the crowd capped at 27,750 – half the Adelaide Oval capacity ¬– due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans will be the senior figurehead among eight Maroons debutants, including A.J. Brimson, Xavier Coates, Kurt Capewell, Brenko Lee, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Jake Friend, Lindsay Collins and Jaydn Su’A.

NSW Wales Coach Brad Fittler is looking for a third consecutive series win, which would be NSW’s first since 2003-05.

The Blues dropped the first game in Brisbane last year, but hit back with a huge victory in Perth, before winning their first live series decider since 2005 when James Tedesco scored at the death for a 26-20 victory.

The previous year, the Blues won the first two matches before losing the dead rubber match in Brisbane.

Game one between the Maroons and the Blues will be at 9.10 tonight.

[Source: News.com.au/Nrl.com]