- Holden State of Origin Game 2 will be played at Stadium Australia on Sunday 24 June;
- The NRL has declared this will be a stand-alone fixture, with no other matches that weekend;
- The Holden State of Origin series kicks off at he MCG on Wednesday 6 June;
- Tickets for Holden State of Origin Game 2 at Stadium Australia are on sale now, including for Blatchys Blues. Go here
Julian Keith and Nathan Davis
SYDNEY’S home of major events Stadium Australia will host a historic first stand-alone Holden State of Origin match on 24 June . . . a Sunday blockbuster that is already one of the most anticipated sporting events of 2018.
Desperate to end the Queensland Maroons’ Origin dynasty, the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues will get the chance to play in front of their parochial home fans in the crucial State of Origin Game II.
The match will kick off at 7.45pm after a huge pre-game party in Sydney Olympic Park.
The Holden State of Origin Series was launched in Melbourne on Tuesday, as the interstate series prepares to head back to the MCG for the first time since 2015.
NSW Blues Coach Brad Fittler and Captain Boyd Cordner, as well as Queensland Maroons Coach Kevin Walters and Captain Cameron Smith, attended the launch in Melbourne, along with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg.
“There is nothing like Origin in the Australian sporting landscape,” Mr Greenberg said.
“The talent and sheer ferocity of Origin sets it apart from anything else in the country and no doubt this series will be another reminder of what a remarkable sporting rivalry this is.”
The 2018 Holden State of Origin Series will kick off on Wednesday 6 June at the MCG, followed by Game 2 – on a standalone Sunday night – at Stadium Australia on 24 June, and Game 3 at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday 11 July.
Tickets are available for all three matches, including for The Star-backed Blatchys Blues area at Stadium Australia:
Holden State of Origin Series
Game I – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Wednesday, 6 June
Game II – Stadium Australia, Sunday, 24 June
Game III – Suncorp Stadium, Wednesday, 11 July
Stadium Australia Members will be able to access the historic first Sunday stand-alone State of Origin Match as part of their 2018 Membership. Learn more about Stadium Australia Membership.
Or why not lock in a special experience and watch this game in style with Stadium Australia’s Official Hospitality packages. Choose between a Private Suite, Zone Box or Centreline Seats at one of the best corporate events of the year to entertain your important clients. Enquiries here
There will be no NRL matches played on the weekend of the Sunday Origin match at Stadium Australia.
2014 was the last time NSW won the State of Origin series, with Game II in Sydney proving to be the decisive match . . . setting in train a celebration to remember.
The reality is the Blues were just three minutes from winning the 2017 series after Queensland came from behind to snatch victory at Stadium Australia after trouncing the Maroons in Game I in Brisbane.
The Blues have won 5 of the last 9 games on home turf at Stadium Australia, with the parochial Blues crowd making the difference.
Origin fans will be celebrating before the game even starts with the traditional pre-game party lighting up the Sydney Olympic Park on the day.
Once the gates open, Stadium Australia will turned into a glowing sea of blue with up to 15,000 Blatchys Blues fans to pack the northern end of the Stadium.
Sydney Olympic Park will come alive with a sea of blue and a host of food, activities and entertainment happening outside Stadium Australia before the game.
