Before they were Origin stars, they were footy fans like the rest of us. Here are the moments this year's Origin players remember most fondly in Origin history.
Jacob Lillyman (Maroons)
"A lot of people say the one where Mark Coyne scored at the death (in 1994) but another one for me was the first game at the new Suncorp (Game One of 2003 series). I played in one of the junior games before it and big Shane Webcke took it off the kick-off and Danny Buderus sprinted down to put a shot on him and put him on his backside. I used to love all the build-up and at our house we used to love the skits they'd do at the start of the coverage. I think they did Jack and the Beanstalk one year, we loved all that stuff."
Josh Jackson (Blues)
"My earliest memories are probably from watching guys like Nathan Hindmarsh and Andrew Ryan and Craig Fitzgibbon, guys like that. They were the sort of players that I grew up idolising so that's probably my earliest memory. Ever since I was this big I thought, That's what I want to do and to be part of it is a surreal and humbling experience."
Aidan Guerra (Maroons)
"Being a Townsville boy I always remember the time Matty Bowen took that intercept in 2005. That intercept sticks out and also the 'Locky' try in 2006 that everyone talks about as starting the run. There was that bad pass, he scooped it up and scored under the posts to win Queensland the game so that was pretty special. Gorden Tallis was probably my favourite player because he always stood for what it means to be a Queenslander and play tough."
Justin Hodges (Maroons)
"Obviously the Mark Coyne try was fantastic and other games like [Game One of the] 2001 series where Queensland blooded 10 new young guns with Lote Tuqiri and all those blokes. I have great memories back home in Cairns. My family and our close family and friends who lived next door always got together to have a barbecue and sit around the TV and watch the game."
Will Chambers (Maroons)
"The 1999 draw [in Game Three]. I came to that game and that was my first proper Origin moment where I can clearly remember it all. I've watch clips of other Origin games with big Mal [Meninga] running around so I've always loved it and always dreamed and wished to be a part of it."
Tyson Frizell (Blues)
The one I remember is Shaun Timmins kicking the field goal to win the game. He's a Dragons player and I was a Dragons fan growing up so that was probably my earliest great memory of State of Origin growing up watching that.
Michael Morgan (Maroons)
"Either Mango's (Matt Bowen) intercept, that was pretty good, or even the time when Lockyer jumped on the ball and ran and scored to win it for them. Darren Lockyer was always my favourite player growing up. Through primary school and high school he was always my biggest idol."
