The Maroons are quick approaching their shortest worth this century and are the raging favourites heading into Game 2 at Suncorp Stadium subsequent Wednesday in opposition to a strolling wounded Blues outfit.
Queensland are into $1.46 which is the second-shortest they’ve ever been with the TAB — solely the invincible 2010 aspect had been shorter at $1.40 in Game 3.
The backbone for Queensland that night time was present coach Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Darren Lockyer and Cameron Smith – with Cooper Cronk on the bench.
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They received 23-18 in Sydney to finish a collection whitewash and clinch their fifth consecutive collection en path to a report eight straight.
Fast ahead 13 years and Slater is again haunting the Blues with the assistance of Thurston and Smith as his assistants.
The Maroons present backbone is frighteningly comparable: blistering fullback Reece Walsh, freakish five-eighth Cameron Munster, premiership-winning halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and Kangaroos hookers Harry Grant and Ben Hunt.
Queensland head into Game 2 nearly at full-strength, whereas the NSW have misplaced two of their finest gamers in Nathan Cleary (hamstring) and Latrell Mitchell (calf), whereas Cameron Murray (groin) and Liam Martin (concussion) stay underneath an harm cloud.
Cleary’s harm noticed the Maroons change into favourites for the primary time since 2019 after which Mitchell ruling himself out on Thursday noticed the Blues balloon to $2.80.
If the accidents pattern continues and Murray or Martin are scratched, then the percentages trajectory will proceed and Queensland may begin within the $1.30s for the primary time in historical past.
The Maroons haven’t been wherever close to their present worth of $1.46 (and are as little as $1.39 with some bookmakers) since they began at $1.50 in Game 2 of 2016 — which they received 26-16 to clinch the collection.
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The TAB confirmed 60 per cent of all bets taken have been on Queensland, however they count on the Blues to bounce again nearer to kick-off.
“It’s hard to look past the Maroons, the money has been going all Queensland since the series started and especially after Game 1,” TAB spokesperson Rohan Welsh stated.
“In the hours after Game 1 the money came in for Queensland, with the Suncorp advantage, and then losing Cleary then Mitchell, that was a huge blow.
“This is the shortest the Maroons have been since their absolute golden era when their side was full of future Immortals.
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“We still expect New South Wales to take money closer to the game because they’re very rarely at this price and have a big punter base.
“But no Blues side has ever gone to Brisbane and forced a decider and then gone on to win the series.”
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Source: www.foxsports.com.au