State of Origin 2016: Date, Start Time, Live Stream for Blues vs. Maroons Game 3
Game 3 of the 2016 State of Origin may be a dead rubber when New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons meet at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday but expectations for a high-energy contest remain.
The Maroons take a 2-0 lead into the final match of the best-of-three series after a convincing display in their last meeting. An attritional 6-4 win in the opener was followed up with a 26-16 triumph last time out at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Now they have the chance to complete a clean sweep of wins for the first time since 2010 and further damage the credibility of the Blues.
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Here are the key viewing details, plus a closer look at how the third match is set to pan out.
Date: Wednesday, July 13
Time: 8:15 p.m. (AEST), 11:15 a.m. (BST)
Live Stream: Premier Sports Player (UK), 9Now (AUS)
TV Info: Premier Sports (UK), Channel 9 (AUS)
Maroons to Complete Sweep
New South Wales will be desperate to avoid a humiliating trio of defeats to their fiercest rivals when Game 3 gets underway.
The Blues were second best in the second clash of the series but were perhaps unfortunate not to add to their haul of points. However, Queensland were always in control of the contest, and when they had to dig deep, they were capable of managing their opponents' offence.
Dane Gagai had a remarkable game in Brisbane, as he became the fourth Queenslander to score an Origin hat-trick, per Jon Healy of ABC. What made it even the more impressive was he produced a performance of such quality in just his third appearance for the side.
Minor margins often make a considerable difference in the cut-throat environment of an Origin match, and last time out the Maroons were strong enough to hold their nerve and secure a vital win to claim the series.
Take a look at the highlights of Queensland's triumph in Game 2 in June:
In Game 3, the title is already secured, and the pressure will be on them to secure an historic fifth clean sweep of wins, per Travis Meyn, Peter Badel and Paul Malone of the Courier-Mail (h/t the Herald Sun).
Ex-Queenslander Darren Lockyer believes his former side mustn't pass up the opportunity to hurt their opponents in the long term, per the Herald Sun:
"If Queensland come out and win this game, NSW will be scarred. If Queensland are able to put NSW to the sword, then there will be a lot of scars going into the next series. Look at how last year’s 52-6 scoreline in the decider affected NSW this season."
Meanwhile, skipper Cameron Smith is determined to make his team-mates aware of the significance of the supposed dead rubber. Per Herald Sun, he said:
"We really had a good opportunity (in 2009) but our preparation was pretty ordinary to be honest and we wanted to make up for it in 2010. People remember whitewashes. It’s not something I’m going to hang my hat on as an Origin captain but if we were to win down there and win the series three-nil it’d be a pretty special feeling. I spoke to the guys and my main message was that we don’t want to lose focus on the opportunity we have. There’s talk about it being a dead rubber but to me it means a lot.
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The Blues will be looking for inspiration heading into the final match of the series and may have found a key performer in James Tedesco. The West Tigers fullback has finally been drafted in after an irresistible season for the 23-year-old at club level.
A shoulder injury prevented him from progressing into the No. 1 Blues slot earlier in his career but some fine running this year has forced coach Laurie Daley to name him in the team. Yet to make his Origin debut, Tedesco could be in for an eye-opening experience when Queensland smell new blood. Fortunately for him, he is built for the challenge and is expected to relish a physical encounter.
In contrast to the youngster, Paul Gallen will be featuring in his final Origin match on Wednesday, per Adam Santarossa of SBS. The 34-year-old is coming to the end of his career, but his desire remains. He posted on his personal Instagram account:
"Last game for New South Wales Blues tomorrow night. It's a massive privilege to pull on the blue jersey and something I've never taken for granted. Can't wait to run out with these boys one last time! Thanks to all my past team-mates and all you fans. Make sure you get to ANZ Stadium, it's going to be on.
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With 10 Origin series wins in the last 11 years, the Maroons have already completed their task for this year. However, pride remains on the line for both sets of players and fans. Physicality, rousing challenges and endeavour comes as a standard when these two teams clash. With new talent and retiring legends, the Sydney crowd could see NSW dealt a crushing blow or the beginning of a new era.
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