Preview: Queensland v NSW

VENUE & TIME: Suncorp Stadium – Wednesday, July 15, 8.10pm.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 86 – Queensland 44, NSW 40, Drawn 2.
LAST TIME: ANZ Stadium, June 24, 2009 – Queensland 24-14.

WALKING WOUNDED: NSW skipper Kurt Gidley (rib cartilage) has declared himself a certain starter despite not training for a week. 'Gids' will be needled up before the game and is sure to come in for some extra attention from the Queensland forwards. The Blues lost centre Jamie Lyon to an ankle sprain on the first day of camp and didn't consider Luke O'Donnell and Michael Weyman due to injury. Apart from Lyon, the Blues go in with their selected side. Unlike the first two games of the series, Queensland has encountered one problem after another. Israel Folau and Petero Civoniceva are out injured and Nate Myles is suspended. Steve Price is battling a heavy dose of the flu, leading the Maroons to talk up the prospects of Ben Hannant returning early from a knee complaint. It won't happen because Price would have to be dead before he gave up his Maroon jumper.

FORM: They are talking about this Queensland side as possibly the best ever after Mal Meninga's men claimed an unprecedented fourth straight series win over NSW last month. That may be so, but NSW aren't as far off the pace as some would have you believe. The Blues' problem is they haven't been able to maintain a consistent performance over 80 minutes, nor had the right players to take control at the critical moments. NSW handed Queensland 18 points in game two yet clawed their way back to trail by a converted try with 10 to go. If cooler heads had prevailed, we may be locked up at 1-1 heading into the series finale. The Maroons are a brilliant side but it's their resolve and ability to win the key moments in a match that stands them above the southerners at present.

WHO'S HOT: Will he or won't he retire? That's the question everybody in the Sunshine State wants answered as captain Darren Lockyer weighs up his rep future. The strong mail is Locky may call it quits if he leads the Maroons to a 3-0 clean sweep before a packed house of Queensland's rabid faithful. It wouldn't get any better than that. 'Locky' insists he won't be rushing into a decision and will mull over his future during the summer months. He has been a wonderful servant over 29 Origin appearances but, at 32, it may be time to give his well-worn body a rest and concentrate on club duties. Talking of 32-year-olds, it's welcome back to Origin for NSW's half-back Brett Kimmorley. Ditching their youth policy in favour of senior citizens, Blues selectors went back to the future in handing 'Noddy' a start two years after last playing for his state. He's been arguably the form No.7 in the NRL and why he wasn't there from the beginning of the series is a debate for another day. Kimmorley has his critics but one thing is for certain; he won't Nate Myles himself in the Origin furnace.

WE THINK: Queensland, racked with injury and illness and backs against the wall. Sound familiar? The Maroons love nothing better than a bit of drama and adversity to get