Check out the match preview and prediction for the second match of the 2025 State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Queensland Maroons Vs New South Wales Blues
Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth
Date: Wednesday 18 June, 8:05pm (AEST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Maroons: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Xavier Coates, 3. Robert Toia, 4. Valentine Holmes, 5. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Tom Dearden, 8. Moeaki Fotuaika, 9. Harry Grant, 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 11. Reuben Cotter, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Trent Loiero, 14. Kurt Mann, 15. Lindsay Collins, 16. Jeremiah Nanai, 17. Patrick Carrigan, 18. Ezra Mam, 19. Jack Howarth, 20. Corey Horsburgh.
Blues: 1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Brian To’o, 3. Stephen Crichton, 4. Latrell Mitchell, 5. Zac Lomax, 6. Jarome Luai, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Max King, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Liam Martin, 12. Angus Crichton, 13. Isaah Yeo, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Spencer Leniu, 16. Hudson Young, 17. Stefano Utoikamanu, 18. Matt Burton, 19. Keaon Koloamatangi, 20. Lindsay Smith.
Referee: Ashley Klein
Bunker: Chris Butler
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
Game 2 of the 2025 State of Origin series travels to Western Australia, as Queensland look to keep the series alive at Optus Stadium in Perth. In Game 1 at Suncorp Stadium, New South Wales took a 1-0 series lead after a convincing 18-6 win: a flattering score-line for Queensland given New South Wales missed the majority of their conversions in a four-tries-to-one victory.
For Queensland, coach Billy Slater has rung the changes to his side that lost in Game 1. Captain Daly Cherry-Evans has been dropped, with Tom Dearden replacing him at halfback. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Valentine Holmes have switched positions, with Holmes named at centre and Hamiso on the wing. Kurt Capewell earns a recall in the second row, with Trent Loiero named to start at lock. Jeremiah Nanai and Patrick Carrigan move back to the bench, with Beau Fermor dropped from the squad. Kurt Mann moves from 18th Man to the bench. Ezra Mam is the new 18th Man, with Jack Howarth and Corey Horsburgh the other two new faces in the reserves to round out the 20-man squad.
Queensland needed to make changes to their side after being soundly beaten by New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium. The decision to drop Cherry-Evans from the halves was the biggest bombshell, despite Cherry-Evans being the incumbent captain of the side and their most experienced Origin player. It’s a call that will make or break Slater’s tenure as Queensland coach. A factor that’s made the decision easier for Billy is the form of Dearden, who has gone to another level with his play at the Cowboys this season. While Dearden has shown glimpses of that form at Origin level in the past, he’ll need to produce one of the games of his career if Queensland are to get the win in Game 2.
As a side effect of Cherry-Evans departing the Origin arena, Cameron Munster has been named as the next captain of Queensland. For years Munster has dominated in the Origin arena and at club level for the Storm. He hasn’t yet had a run in a leadership role at club level, but what he means as a leader to this Queensland side now cannot be understated. It’ll be new territory for Munster, but expect him to take on this challenge with both hands, as he forms a new halves combination with Dearden.
Outside the halves, a match-up that worked well for Queensland in Game 1 was Xavier Coates up against Brian To’o. Coates has the clear height and jump advantage over To’o and Queensland went back to that match-up on several occasions. The contentious sin-bin of To’o on the stroke of halftime in Game 1 was the result of Coates out-leaping To’o in a try-scoring situation. Queensland will be aiming to kick to Coates often in Game 2. However, they’ll need to be careful not to target that too much. New South Wales may opt to switch To’o to the other wing and bring Zac Lomax over to compete with Coates in the air, as they did in Game 1.
For New South Wales, coach Laurie Daley has made some forced changes from his Game 1 squad. Mitch Barnett is out after suffering a season-ending knee injury. He’s replaced in the 17 by Stefano Utoikamanu, who moves from the reserves to the bench. Max King moves from the bench to starting prop. Mitchell Moses has been ruled out after suffering a calf injury at training. Jarome Luai has been recalled at five-eighth to replace him. Campbell Graham is under an injury cloud and is replaced as 18th Man by Matt Burton. Haumole Olakau’atu has withdrawn from the squad due to the impending birth of his child. He’s replaced in the reserves by Keaon Koloamatangi, with Lindsay Smith the new face to round out the 20-man squad.
With Suncorp Stadium in their rearview mirror this year, New South Wales will be bristling with confidence. They went Brisbane in Game 1 and not only got the win, but were dominant in doing so. They now have achieved back-to-back victories in Brisbane for the first time since 1997-98, and will be strong favourites to secure the shield in Game 2. The forward pack was a key highlight for New South Wales in Game 1. Despite the loss of Barnett, they still hold a big advantage over Queensland in that match-up, with Payne Haas leading as the spearhead. Stefano Utoikamanu now gets his opportunity to shine off the bench, ahead of the likes of Terrell May and Koloamatangi, who have been in strong form at club level. He forms a formidable bench combination with Spencer Leniu, which gives New South Wales plenty of firepower as the starters begin to tire.
In any other year, an injury to Moses in the lead up to Game 2 would mean panic stations. But with the depth they’ve built over the past few years, Daley has called on Luai take on the challenge of the Origin arena again. After playing five-eighth in last year’s winning series, Luai returns to re-unite with his former partner in crime at Penrith, Nathan Cleary. At Origin level, they’ve played six games together, winning three and losing three for a 50% win percentage. Despite some of the chat around Burton getting the start, the Luai pick just makes sense, as he’s already developed familiarity with the same left edge from last year, as well as his several other former teammates at Penrith.
When it comes to the stats, they also paint a favourable picture for New South Wales. In the two games played at Optus Stadium, New South Wales have won both of them by 32 points (38-6 in 2019, 44-12 in 2022). The halves combination in the 44-12 win in 2022: Luai and Cleary. They’ve been there and done it before, and with Perth’s history of producing fast tracks, it’s an ominous sign for Queensland that there’ll be plenty of points scored in this game.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
| Winner | First Try Scorer | Man of the Match | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Pelechaty | NSW by 13 | Brian To’o | Zac Lomax |
| Brendan Wood | NSW by 10 | Latrell Mitchell | Zac Lomax |
| Chris Petrie | NSW by 8 | Latrell Mitchell | Latrell Mitchell |
| Jem Nash | NSW by 16 | Brian To’o | Jarome Luai |
| Lachlan Jeffery | NSW by 12 | Robert Toia | Nathan Cleary |
| Mathew Williams | NSW by 8 | Stephen Crichton | Isaah Yeo |
| Matt Attard | NSW by 14 | Brian To’o* (Jacob Kiraz) | Dylan Edwards |
| Matt Pritchard | NSW by 8 | Angus Crichton | Liam Martin |
| Nathan Smith | NSW by 18 | Zac Lomax | Jarome Luai |
| Shannon Meyer | NSW by 26 | Zac Lomax | Nathan Cleary |
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