Queensland, always the state seemingly with less options to pick from than their southern rivals, will have three debutants in Origin 1, with a host of players left out.
Which got us thinking.
What if there was an 'A' series to be played between the states alongside the main event?
Well, we at Zero Tackle have gone right ahead and picked the next 17 for the Maroons, with a number of obvious certainties selected, and a handful of positions where there could be more than one option.
The only rules are that the players must be eligible to play for the state, not injured or suspended, and not be picked as part of the 20-man squad in Origin camp.
There are plenty of fairly straightforward selections in Quenesland's A team, with props Jai Arrow and Corey Horsburgh, as well as second-rower Jaydn Su'A missing Billy Slater's team for Game 1 and slotting straight into the starting 13 of this side.
At fullback, we have opted for Jahream Bula, albeit, with Reece Walsh injured and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow picked at centre in Slater's team, there were few options.
On the wing, Gold Coast Titans' try-scoring machine Alofiana Khan-Pereira is joined by Canberra Raiders youngster Xavier Savage, while we have opted for Jaxon Purdue and Dane Gagai in a mix of youth and experience at centre.
Phillip Sami came close to being selected both on the wing and in the centres, but misses out.
Braydon Trindall wins what was a pretty straightforward race for the number six jersey, while we have gone with Jamal Fogarty ahead of Toby Sexton at halfback on the back of his phenomenal form in the nation's capital.
As mentioned, Arrow and Horsburgh line up at prop, while Reed Mahoney is the only other eligble starting NRL level Queensland hooker and takes the number nine jersey by defeault.
Kurt Capewell was in the mix to play Game 1 for Slater's side, so jumps straight into the second-row alongside Su'A, while Parramatta hard man J'maine Hopgood rounds out the run on side.
On the bench, we have gone with Jayden Campbell ahead of Jye Gray for the number 14 jumper, although the South Sydney younster remains 18th man.
Ethan Bullemor and Lachlan Hubner were straightforward selections onto the bench, while we have gone with Josh Kerr to round out the pine ahead of Dolphins' teammate Felise Kaufusi.
Queensland Maroons A
1. Jahream Bula (Wests Tigers)
2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira (Gold Coast Titans)
3. Jaxon Purdue (North Queensland Cowboys)
4. Dane Gagai (Newcastle Knights)
5. Xavier Savage (Canberra Raiders)
6. Braydon Trindall (Cronulla Sharks)
7. Jamal Fogarty (Canberra Raiders)
8. Jai Arrow (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
9. Reed Mahoney (Canterbury Bulldogs)
10. Corey Horsburgh (Canberra Raiders)
11. Kurt Capewell (New Zealand Warriors)
12. Jaydn Su'A (St George Illawarra Dragons)
13. J'maine Hopgood (Parramatta Eels)
Interchange
14. Jayden Campbell (Gold Coast Titans)
15. Josh Kerr (The Dolphins)
16. Ethan Bullemor (Manly Sea Eagles)
17. Lachlan Hubner (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
