State of Origin Game II: Teams Announced and Key Match Details
The squads for State of Origin Game II have been announced, and the players are preparing for what promises to be an intense match. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Queensland is looking to bounce back from a crushing defeat in Game I, where they were beaten 18-6 on home turf.
As reported by the ABC, Game II of this year’s State of Origin series will take place on Wednesday, June 18, with the match starting at 8:05pm AEST. The game will be held at Perth Stadium in Western Australia, a neutral ground that has historically favoured the Blues. The ABC notes that the Blues have enjoyed strong margins at Perth Stadium, winning 38-6 in 2019 and 44-12 in 2022.
Fans can watch the match on Channel Nine or on Nine’s streaming platform 9Now. The ABC reports that due to Nine’s exclusive rights to the matches, the game will not be available on other streaming platforms like Kayo or Fox. However, listeners can tune into ABC Radio via the ABC listen app for coverage of the match, and the ABC News website will provide live blogging.
The ABC states that the headline change ahead of Game II came from the Maroons side, with coach Billy Slater opting to drop Daly Cherry-Evans from the squad. This move marked the first time a Maroons captain was dropped mid-series in almost 30 years. Cameron Munster will now lead the team as captain, celebrating his 20th State of Origin match. The ABC reports that Tom Dearden has been moved to halfback, and Kurt Mann will take the #14 jersey.
The ABC provides the full squads for both sides, highlighting key changes and inclusions. For the Blues, coach Laurie Daley has elevated Max King to the starting prop position, replacing the injured Mitchell Barnett. The ABC notes that Stefano Utoikamanu has been added to the 17, and Jarome Luai has replaced the injured Mitch Moses.
The series will conclude with Game III on Wednesday, July 9, at Stadium Australia in Sydney. In related news, the Women’s State of Origin series has already concluded, with New South Wales claiming victory, winning two of the three games. The ABC reports that the scores from each match were:
* Game I: NSW won 32-12
* Game II: NSW won 26-6
* Game III: QLD won 18-14
As reported by the ABC, the NSW Blues women’s team held the State of Origin Shield after winning two of the three matches.
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