State of Origin: we love it, don't we?

State of Origin - mate against mate, right?

They say down under that Origin is the pinnacle of representative rugby league. You can keep your green and gold jumpers, but there's nothing better than wearing the colours of your state. They didn't think it'd work back in 1980 when the concept was formed. But, who's laughing now? 34 years on, and we still pencil it in our diaries for the three big occasions, the three games of a State of Origin series.

Rugby league has been fortunate enough to showcase some of the finest athletes across all levels. But, it's so often the case that we see some of the most gifted players playing some sensational stuff. I could list them all, but, I'd be here all night.

What I love most about State of Origin, is that, it's not just your average 80 minutes of rugby league. It's more than that, it's 34 blokes, giving everything they've got during the course of the game. Some players would hide away in their shell when they feel the lactic acid in their legs build up and they start the heavy breathing. But, Origin players are made of something different. They go to another level, they dig deep, they'll do absolutely anything to ensure that it really is 100% they're providing for their side.

It's famous for its fights, Origin. Every year, we see the old 'biff'. It's perhaps why we mainly love it. We all love watching the punch ups and the raw passion you see when they collide. People will say it's brutal, the game in general is brutal when you see them bringing the ball back and crashing into the opposition at the same force as a car crash. I disagree, somewhere amongst that there's a bit of beauty.

I wasn't alive when Wally Lewis became 'the King of Origin'. But, seeing the footage from those times, you can't argue with his title, and how he's gone on to become one of the immortals of our great game. My era, is today's era. Possibly my all time favourite Origin player has to be the man who looked up to the King, Darren Lockyer, of course. You could say, Lockyer started the dynasty back in 2006, when he pounced on that sloppy pass from Brett Hodgson to clinch the game, and the series for Queensland. Since then, the Maroons haven't lost a series, arguably the great rugby league side in history. But, back to Darren, he was the complete footballer. Kicking, passing, leadership, defensively sound, it's very hard to pick out a flaw from his game. He's probably the reason why his beloved Queensland have risen to the top and stayed there for a record breaking, eight times.

I'm not going to lie, when Origin time comes around, I always hope for the Blues to win. They're the underdogs these days. Players like Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus are the reasons why I route for New South Wales. Growing up, they were incredible to watch. Without them, the Blues perhaps wouldn't have tasted some success during the 2000s. We talk about great athletes, I've been fortunate enough to see Buderus play in the flesh, and he certainly does fit into that bracket of great athletes. Andrew, well, many regard him as the world's best player, ever. It's really no surprise when you saw how good he was technically, one hell of a football brain.

In recent years, we've seen Queensland snatch victory in the final game of the series, Cronk's late field goal in 2012, a late try last year (along with a streaker). Amongst the collisions, we've witnessed drama, it goes back to why we watch it every year. It's not your every day game of rugby league at your local club, it's players putting on a show, showcasing their talents, showcasing their toughness, showing the world that they are some of the best athletes in the sporting world.

So, what of this year's series? NSW going with a new halfback partnership, the old guard returning for Queensland once more along with some kids who will grow that extra layer of Origin football skin. I won't predict what will happen, because, I don't know. It's Origin after all, during that 80 minutes, anything goes, and the extraordinary can happen. Roll on Wednesday.