State of Origin: Who will win the Suncorp Stadium decider, expert tips, man of match

The 2024 State of Origin series will be decided tonight at Suncorp Stadium; our experts tip the winner, man of the match and give their bold prediction.

Suncorp will host the Origin decider. Picture: Getty Images

Phil Rothfield

NSW By 6

Queensland have left at home their biggest and most brutal attacking threat, David Fifita. I’m glad we’re playing against Kurt Capewell and not the big man. We showed in Melbourne with 13 on 13 we’re the better side.

First try: Bradman Best

Man of the match: Dylan Edwards

Bold prediction: The ref will put his whistle away. Just wait and see. It will be refereed like last year’s grand final and decided by the players, not the six-agains and the penalty count.

Peter Badel

Queensland by 1

Latrell Mitchell is a massive loss for NSW. The Suncorp factor will be telling as Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga combine to craft another Maroons fairytale.

First try: Reece Walsh

Man of the match: Daly Cherry-Evans

Bold prediction: We will see the first extra-time Origin in 20 years and field-goal specialist Daly Cherry-Evans will break NSW’s hearts … yet again.

Fatima Kdouh

NSW by 10

Filled with confidence and the right amount of arrogance, Mitchell Moses is in complete control again at the cauldron

First try: Stephen Crichton

Man of the match: Mitchell Moses

Bold prediction: The Blues big men will bully the timid Maroons into submission with the added insult of the humiliation being in front of a home crowd.

Robert Craddock

Queensland by 10

They’ll go like madmen in the first 15 minutes.

First try: Bradman Best.

Man of the match: Reece Walsh. Ready to explode.

Bold prediction: Cameron Smith gets so excited by a Queensland win he vaults to first round leadership of the British Open on Thursday at Royal Troon.

Pamela Whaley

NSW by 2

Michael Maguire has sparked something special in this team and, after game two, the Blues showed they won’t be bullied.

First try: Bradman Best

Man of the match: Angus Crichton

Bold prediction: The states will deliver one of the best deciders in Origin history, and there’ll be at least one field-goal attempt to break the deadlock.

Travis Meyn

Queensland by 4

The Maroons are up against it after what we witnessed in Melbourne but I can’t bring myself to tip the filthy Blues. Queensland set this series up with a Game One win in Sydney and will lift a gear at a roaring Suncorp to expose Mitchell Moses as the flat-track bully that he is.

First try: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow

Man of the match: Pat Carrigan

Bold prediction: The Blues will once again choke in the furnace of The Cauldron that has claimed many NSW decider dreams and the encore will be even better on Thursday night when our southern colleagues melt down on NRL360 and call for another NSW cleanout after a third straight series loss.

David Riccio

NSW by 10

Queensland will need more than the referee to help them bounce back from their embarrassing loss in game two. The consideration of plucking Josh Papalii out of retirement speaks to how thin in the forward pack the Maroons know they are.

First try: Bradman Best

Man of the match: Dylan Edwards

Bold prediction: NSW will record one of their greatest victories, rendering Queensland to defeat and leading Daly Cherry-Evans to decide if his Origin career is over.

Patrick Carrigan is a popular pick for man of the match honours. Picture: Getty Images

Brent Read

Queensland by 4

The Suncorp Stadium effect will be in full swing. The Maroons always win at The Cauldron.

First try: Reece Walsh

Man of the match: Patrick Carrigan

Bold prediction: This is going to get feisty. Queensland won’t get bullied again so I am expecting a sin bin or two on each side.

Dean Ritchie

NSW by 8

Billy’s rattled. Who would have thought? It proves Queensland are flat-track bullies but shrink when some barbs start to fly.

First try: Brian To’o

Man of the match: Mitchell Moses

Bold prediction: Madge secures one of the great Origin series victories and shows once-and-for-all that Queensland crack when under pressure.

Michael Carayannis

NSW by 4

This NSW side will hold no fears after their game two demolition. Mitch Moses is in career best form while the Blues forwards will take it to their Queensland counterparts.

First try: Stephen Crichton

Man of the match: Angus Crichton

Bold prediction: Liam Martin to rattle the Maroons to the point where Queensland implode with at least one player sin-binned as they show Queenslander’s what it means to be a true New South Welshman.

Tyson Jackson

NSW by 4
It has been too long since the Blues were able to do the impossible, and this team is capable of pulling off a miracle. Although history is not on the side of NSW’s, this will not phase the players Michael Maguire has picked, but give them more incentive to break the Suncorp curse.

First try: Stephen Crichton

Man of the match: Spencer Leniu

Bold prediction: The Maroons will come undone due to their lack of size on the bench and only one genuine front-row replacement. This is Origin, fatigue will play a major role in deciding the outcome of this match.

Originally published as State of Origin: Who will win the Suncorp Stadium decider, expert tips, man of match