Born and raised in Melbourne, State of Origin games aren't something I usually get the honour of witnessing in person, but this year marks the occasion when, once again, those south of the border get to see one of the greatest rivalries, not just in Australian sport, but globally, take place in the flesh.
Many great moments of players seizing the spotlight have helped form the state rivalry in one of Australia's biggest cities and this year promises not to disappoint in the slightest after the historic New South Wales (NSW) comeback win in Game 1.
NSW holds the bragging rights in Melbourne, winning a total of five times compared to Queensland's four wins. The Blues are holding a 4-1 record at the MCG, and the Maroons are having the better luck at Marvel Stadium with a 3-1 record.
But what are the moments in those nine games that took the Origin world by storm and that have cemented themselves in rugby history?
1. 1995 Origin 2 (MCG)- The Melbourne biffo
In what was one of the greatest underdog stories in Australian sporting history, it didn't start with some physical fireworks in the infamous “biffo” of Game 2. A brawl would break out around 2 minutes into the game when Queensland's hooker, Wayne Bartrim, called the Blues' bluff of targeting players and yelled the rallying cry “Queenslander!” during the first scrum.
