Parramatta turns maroon with Queensland team staying for State of Origin

Ahead of tonight’s blockbuster State of Origin decider, the Queensland Maroons have made themselves at home in Parramatta — even dropping in for a visit to Peter Wynn’s Score.

Queensland coach Kevin Walters emerges from the Parkroyal Parramatta ahead of State of Origin Game Three at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Troy Snook

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Parramatta has received a touch of maroon this week as the Queensland Origin squad opted to base themselves out of the western Sydney heartland ahead of tonight’s State of Origin decider.

Queensland’s players and staff have made themselves at home at the Parkroyal Parramatta as they commence preparations for the expected sellout clash against NSW at ANZ Stadium.

In between getting breakfast and coffee in the CBD, a few of the Maroons braved the Blues faithful to pay a visit to Peter Wynn’s Score.

“We’ve had Moses Mbye come through, Alfie Langer, quite a few of the actual roster of the staff and the players that are playing for the Maroons,” Wynn said.

NSW supporter Peter Wynn and Queensland supporter Ethane Lui at Peter Wynn's Score.

Their visit came as an exciting and “nerve-racking” surprise for Score employee and Queensland fan Ethane Lui.

“I served Moses Mbye,” he said.

“I tried to act all casual and not to let the nerves get the best of me and just give him my best possible customer service and hopefully he’ll come back for more stuff later.”

The New Zealand-born Lui, who is part of the Parramatta Eels junior system, said he was drawn to the Maroons because of his idol Greg Inglis.

“Just growing up I based my game around the way Greg Inglis played his game, how hard he plays, how hard he goes every day,” he said.

Maroons legends Allan Langer and Justin Hodges posing for photos with fans ahead of the blockbuster clash.

“I’ve just tried to base my game off that and just tried to work my way up as a young kid from New Zealand.

“Seeing how far he came has inspired me through my footy career as well.”

According to Wynn, having the Maroons in the area has been a huge boost to the level of buzz among local fans.

“It’s an exciting day,” he said.

“The NSW team’s getting a lot of support and there’s so many Maroons supporters from interstate and New Zealand that have come out of the woodwork who are really optimistic about tonight’s result so we’ll see what happens.”

Wynn said he’s confident of a Blues victory in front of an expected sellout home crowd.

As for his prediction, Wynn said the series was NSW’s to lose.

“(Game two) was a big win over there for NSW … so Freddy’s obviously picked the right players,” he said.

“You go back to the first game, Queensland could have been leading by 20 points.

“They missed a few opportunities to score tries and it only came down to four points in the end, so I think for Queensland to be in the game tonight they don’t want to miss those opportunities otherwise NSW will really take the game by the horns.”

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