Origin III predictions: NRL.com experts' view on how game will be decided
The 2019 Holden State of Origin series goes on the line in Sydney next Wednesday, with the Blues taking momentum with a Game Two victory after Queensland opened the series with a win in Brisbane. Who will win Game Three? The NRL.com experts have their say.
NRL.com's experts view
Brett Kimmorley (Former NSW halfback)
NSW will win. They'll be full of confidence and there will be a little bit of scarring and doubt for Queensland after Game Two. The pace NSW will play at will be too fast and they'll be too athletic. There are too many points in this Blues side for Queensland to be able to contain. NSW by 10.
Michael Chammas (NRL.com chief reporter)
NSW by 24. It's hard to see the Blues being challenged by a Maroons team that has lost its most potent attacking weapon in Kalyn Ponga. On home soil and buoyed by the confidence gained in Perth, expect the Blues to run riot at ANZ Stadium.
Brad Walter (NRL.com senior reporter)
NSW by 2. The Blues were way too good in Perth and will go into the decider at home full of confidence, while Queensland's depth has been further tested by the loss of Ponga.
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Margie McDonald (NRL.com senior reporter)
NSW have all the momentum – and now they have their home ground. But I add words of caution: since the start of the 2015 series, there have been five games played at ANZ Stadium and Queensland has won three. However, NSW has the most recent – 18-14 to win the 2018 series in Game Two. They look the goods to wrap up the 2019 series at ANZ Stadium as well.
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Alicia Newton (NRL.com reporter)
Blues by 12. They were far too good in Game Two, and while Queensland will improve it is hard to believe they will improve by enough to win the match - and the series.
Joel Gould (NRL.com reporter)
The Maroons will embrace the underdog tag and play with the same desire and hunger that they did in Game One. The loss of Kalyn Ponga will hurt but the addition of Corey Norman will give the Maroons strike and an X factor. Maroons by 2.
Paul Suttor (NRL.com editor)
The Blues will win and probably win by double figures. The loss of Kalyn Ponga is massive for Queensland, so much now falls on the shoulders of Cameron Munster to generate points. NSW looked like they had far greater composure with James Maloney running the show in Perth and they will rack up back-to-back wins to make it successive series triumphs.
Match: Blues v Maroons
Game 3 -
home Team
Blues
away Team
Maroons
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Maria Tsialis (Big League editor)
NSW have so much depth and confidence, they're my tip to take out the series.
Tony Webeck (NRL.com reporter)
A spinal adjustment at this stage of a series is less than ideal for Queensland. NSW have their own concerns with Nathan Cleary out injured but expect James Maloney to engineer a second straight series win. Blues by 7.
Chris Kennedy (NRL.com reporter)
It should be a closer game than Game Two but I think Queensland have too much ground to make up if the Blues play anything like their best game again. NSW by 8.
Lone Scout (NRL Fantasy expert)
The Blues have made some strange selection decisions - leaving out star props David Klemmer and Payne Haas - but the brilliance of James Tedesco, Damien Cook, James Maloney and the Trbojevic brothers should get them over the line anyway.
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Zac Bailey (NRL.com reporter)
The Blues. They showed in Game Two they're not only capable of beating the Maroons in the middle, but busting them on both edges as well. The likes of James Maloney, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic and Josh Addo-Carr will again be threats, and if they can't find space out wide, Damien Cook will look to dominate the ruck with darts out of dummy half.
Corey Rosser (NRL.com reporter)
NSW. They have all the momentum after their big win in Origin II and it's hard to see Queensland bouncing back in the decider, especially given it's being played in Sydney.
Mary Konstantopoulos (Ladies Who League)
NSW will win Game Three by 12 points. Given that Queensland have additional injuries and their depth further tested because of those injuries, I can't see them getting into a position where they can challenge the dominance NSW displayed in Game Two.
Kenny Scott (NRL.com podcaster)
NSW for three simple reasons. They have the better team, they have the home ground advantage, and if you watched the team announcement it was pretty clear Kevin Walters was trying too hard to sound confident. It all points to a capitulation. It won't be pretty.
Jonathan Healy (NRL.com reporter)
Back home and full of confidence from their last start victory, NSW should prove too strong and can win by 14.
Tanisha Stanton (NRL.com reporter)
NSW will take out the Origin series. After showing what they're capable of in game two and in front of a home crowd at ANZ Stadium the Blues will be hard to stop in Game Three.
