With the annual Holden State of Origin series just around the corner, plenty of footy followers have an opinion on what the NSW and Queensland playing rosters should look like.

It's no different around the NRL.com office, with our experts donning their selectors' caps and naming their respective Blues and Maroons sides. Some of their choices might come as a surprise.

In addition, over the past few weeks, NRL.com Stats has run the rule over all the eligible candidates for each Origin team in every position to determine who could be named for the series opener, delving into the candidates for the Blues spine, the backs and forwards, plus the same for the Maroons spine, backs and forwards.

Here are the predicted NRL.com Stats squads for NSW and Queensland.

And here's all the fearless Origin team predictions by NRL.com's experts.

 

McInnes loving'two horse race' for Origin

Witness Australia's greatest sporting rivalry when Origin comes to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday, June 6. Tickets available at NRL.com/tickets