Man of the match & scoring betting – 2017 State of Origin Game 1

Wednesday, May 31, 2017, 7.50pm AEST, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Watch on Nine Network.

The first game of the 2017 origin series is upon us and we could not be more excited for what could be the most evenly-matched State of Origin in a long time.

Queensland will be without several key names for the series opener, while a new-look Blues outfit will be keen to leave their mark on a series that has been mostly dominated by their counterparts over the years.

Rather than trying to wade our way through the figurative minefield that is predicting an outcome for the match, we took a look at two of the more interesting individual markets for game one.

We are thinking two superstar speedsters who will relish the opportunity to step away from poorly performing clubs will be among the try scorers while a wily veteran and a forward that has a point to prove will be the pair that are vying for man of the match honours.

Anytime Try Scorer Markets

Queensland:

Dane Gagai (+150 with Sportsbet.com.au)

The Novocastrian Gagai is having a standout season in an ordinary team in 2017, and he looks set to continue that stellar form on the origin stage in game one.

The 26-year-old has been an absolute revelation at origin level since debuting in 2015, scoring five tries from four games.

The $2.50 on offer for Gagai to score at anytime on Wednesday is too hard to ignore. The soon to be South Sydney star should cross the line to keep his sparkling scoring record in tact whilst boosting our bank accounts in the process.

New South Wales:

James Tedesco ($3 with Sportsbet.com.au)

The man they call “Teddy” only has one origin cap to his name, but the 24-year-old superstar looms as one of the most important players in game one.

The Wests Tigers gun is one of the most dynamic players in all of league, and has an uncanny scoring ability that complements an astute game sense.

We were blown away by the generous odds on offer from Sportsbet for Tedesco to score at anytime on Wednesday night, and we are more than happy to recommend punters to get on Teddy to score.

Man of the Match Markets

Queensland:

Cameron Smith ($6 with Sportsbet.com.au)

It was no surprise to see Cam Smith at the head of the origin man of the match betting market, and there is a good reason for that.

Smith has been one of the main driving forces behind Melbourne’s dominant season to date, and he remains one of the most important players in the NRL for both club and state – even at the age of 33.

There is an added weight of pressure on Smith too given Johnathan Thurston will miss the opening game of origin through injury, but history has shown that the Maroons’ captain has no problems stepping up when it matters most.

If Queensland are to win on Wednesday there is no question they will need a huge impact from Smith.

The playmaking, facilitation and on-field leadership usually puts Smith at the forefront of the man of the match selection panel and we think he will put in another eye-catching performance on Wednesday.

New South Wales

Aaron Woods (+2500 at Sportsbet.com.au)

The powerhouse Tiger seems like a left-field selection for a Man of the Match award, but when you weigh up what this game means for both him, his state and his future it begins to make a lot of sense.

Woods is a player that needs a huge performance. The 26-year-old has been at the centre of the turmoil surrounding his soon to be ex-club’s poor showings this year, which we think is somewhat unfair given he is not alone out there.

The origin stage looms as the perfect opportunity for Woods to shed the baggage and just play.

We have seen in the past that a workmanlike performances from the front row can garner attention from the selection panel. In 2011 fellow prop and former Blues captain Paul Gallan was given Man of the Match honours for his stellar tackling performance, and we think Woods can replicate those feats.

Woods will appreciate the freedom that the origin stage will afford him and we think a strong performance will be a given on Wednesday.