State of Origin players can expect an "unreal" atmosphere at the Adelaide Oval for the series opener on June 3, according to AFL stars Taylor Walker and Charlie Dixon.
Former Adelaide captain Walker and Port Adelaide forward Dixon have plenty of experience playing on the big stage at the iconic ground, with it being the home venue of their clubs.
Walker, who ranks Adelaide Oval in the "top two" stadiums he's played at, believes the rugby league players are in for a treat when Origin heads to South Australia for the first time.
"It's an awesome stadium. If you put the [Origin] rivalry and atmosphere together, I reckon it's going to be pumping," Walker, a proud New South Welshman, told NRL.com.
"I think the grass is usually a bit longer for AFL than NRL, but I imagine it might be a little bit different for the NRL boys playing here.
"Hopefully it's a great spectacle for all that come and they can get out and support NSW."
Dixon added that "the way the noise blows off the end grandstand is going to be unreal for Origin."
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Walker has fond memories of watching NSW while growing up despite not supporting a specific NRL team.
"Mum and Dad always used to let us stay up a little bit later on a weeknight [for Origin], which was good," Walker said.
Dixon, meanwhile, is a staunch Queenslander whose favourite Origin memory is when Allan Langer returned from the wilderness in game three of 2001 to lead the Maroons to series victory.
"My parents moved from NSW and they converted to Queenslanders pretty quick. It was always a big thing in our household to watch the Origin," Dixon said.
"And also having played AFL with [former Queensland Origin star] Karmichael Hunt and watching him back in the day, it was always awesome to get his insight into the game when we played together."
Both men are confident that Adelaide locals will get around the Origin fixture despite it being held in an AFL heartland.
"Knowing it's a State of Origin game and knowing what these games bring, I think we'll see a big crowd here and it will be awesome," said Dixon, who predicted the Maroons to "get up in a tough one".
Walker thinks the Blues will start the series with a 20-12 victory in front of a buzzing audience.
"There will be a few [fans] that will come here just for the spectacle," Walker said.
"There are a lot of people I know from Broken Hill who are coming down for the game who will be following NSW and I'm sure there will be people coming down from Queensland as well."
