State of Origin game 3: Live updates from Allianz Stadium
Former Warrior Kevin Campion's game three prediction
Former Warrior Kevin Campion has backed Queensland to upset New South Wales in State of Origin's game-three decider in Sydney on Wednesday night.
The 53-year-old was the Warriors' first Origin player, representing the Maroons in the 2001 and 2002 campaigns, attaining a draw and a win.
He also featured for Queensland in the 1997 Super League Tri-Series, won by New South Wales.
Campion is predicting a 13-12 victory for the Maroons. The series is evenly poised, with highly fancied New South Wales taking the opener, before Queensland triumped in an epic second clash.
'It's going to be a low-scoring game. It'll come down to a field goal. This will be one of the great games of rugby league,' he said.
'Queensland have to play at their best to beat New South Wales. They're such a great side full of superstars, and we're certainly the underdogs.
'If we win by one, I'll be very happy.'
Campion is championing the efforts of current Warrior Kurt Capewell, who has retained his spot in the second row for Queensland after being called in for game two.
'He's been outstanding all year for the Warriors, so I wasn't surprised he got a call-up in game two, and he was outstanding in defence. He's been outstanding playing out of position for the Warriors in the centres.'
It is an intriguing week for the Warriors selectors ahead of the NRL match against the Tigers at Mt Smart on Sunday.
Halfback Luke Metcalf is out for the season with an ACL injury, while fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is sidelined for a month with a MCL tear.
Te Maire Martin and Tanah Boyd are the two favourites to replace Metcalf in the No 7 jersey.
Martin has been used off the interchange as a utility back while Boyd has been a staple of the Warriors' New South Wales Cup side that have won 11 consecutive games.
Campion is calling for Martin to play halfback, although both options are solid.
'Martin's been used off the bench a bit more. Tanah can play half, hooker; he can play different positions as well. But I'd like to see Te Maire get a shot there.'
The Warriors earlier lost co-captain Mitch Barnett for the season to an ACL injury, while winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is also out until round 22 with an ankle issue.
Campion is pointing to the success of the reserve grade side as evidence they will manage the continued personnel blows.
'I know we've got the depth because our New South Wales team is going really well. There are a lot of experienced first-graders who are chomping at the bit to get in that top side.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
39 minutes ago
- RNZ News
NRLW live updates: Warriors Women v Gold Coast Titans
Tysha Ikenasio of the Warrirors scores as Michaela Brake and Apii Nicholls (captain) celebrate. Photo: Brett Phibbs/ Photo: Brett Phibbs/ The Warriors women come in trying to improve on their one-win/two-loss record so far. They face the similarly placed Gold Coast Titans at Mt Smart as part of another doubleheader. Kickoff is 2.45pm.
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
Warriors match first major sports game to be mainly solar powered
The Warriors play at Go Media Stadium on Saturday night. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Saturday night's Warriors match is the first major sports game in New Zealand to be primarily solar powered. An enormous array of solar panels on the roof of Auckland's Go Media Stadium are estimated to cut the facility's energy costs by $150,000 annually, and their first major stress test would be at the sold out match between the Warriors and Titans. Auckland Stadiums director James Parkinson said the panels had been soaking up the winter sun and would provide most of the stadium's electricity. "We've got the solar panels on the roofs of both the east and west ends of Go Media Stadium, and in total there's over 1600 panels up there," he said. "It's a significant installation and they can power over 60 percent of our annual energy needs." Parkinson noted the array of solar panels was unlike any other stadium in New Zealand, and gave the Australians a run for their money. "We believe this is the first of its kind in terms of a stadium in New Zealand, and even in an Australasian context our understanding is the scale of the installation we have here in significant relative to what exists elsewhere." And he said the cost would be recouped quickly. "The modelling that was done suggested a payback period of between six and eight years, and the early data that we're getting suggests it could even be shorter than that," he said. "There's that financial benefit that sits right alongside the environmental sustainability benefits as well."
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Steven Alker takes the lead and Black Caps beat Zimbabwe
Kiwi golfer Steven Alker takes the lead at the senior British Open and the Black Caps beat Zimbabwe to wrap up group play in their T20 Tri-series in Harare.
