Watching live stream courtesy of Northstanders Facebook

Crikey the differences between the 'Super League' game and 'The Origin' is immense in so many ways.

Origin game:
Straight and direct.
Quite often just the two players making the tackle and hardly any targeting of the legs - third man often up round hips.
Officials seem happy to let tackles go where legs might be above hips.
Penalties to a minimum - players making tackle getting up and moving away quickly.
Tackled player rarely trying to milk a penalty.
Tackled player rarely pinching yards as they get up.
Tackled player playing the ball, or attempting to, with the foot.
Players rarely challenging ref - reckon they haven't got time it's that fast.
Set after consecutive set with no sound of a whistle - or so it seems.
Referee mic set low so we don't have to listen talking to them as if they're best mates and sit next to them in class.
.....and to cap it all off a main commentator - the usual fella who seems to take the whole affair at ease.
There is no ex ref pontificating and highlighting or challenging onfield ref decisions.
No big line of blokes waiting their turn to say something - usually standard five on gantry if not more on Sky team. But, to be fair the ozzies all sound the same.
Can't hear any repeated catch phrases either aka 'woz it ever'
Nearly forgot - what looks like a truly full stadium...almost rugby union internationalesque.

your right, but I find it boring sometimes, seems no flair?

Not the best advert for the usual intensity of SOO, but I`m sure it will be a lot harder for the next match with NSW having to beat Queensland in their back yard, bring on the biifs.

I have nothing to add. I agree with every point you make.
It's the best in every way.
The lead up is akin to Superbowl.

The game itself wasn't the best but was close so still a bit exciting but the whole presentation on field, TV and in the lead up was excellent.

Money does talk though.

It was a bore-fest - neither team seemed prepared to try anything other than bashing it up the middle and QLD in particular, are masters of impeding the ptb - Cameron Smith makes Sam Tomkins looks like a choirboy.

The pinnacle of RL it may well be - but it was hardly filled with excitement.

I think it may go the opposite way in game 2 because the NSW half backs were too timid this time round and are going to have to throw everything in to have a chance at the series.

Agreed what a bore fest. If this was a typical RL games then crowds would fall off in no time.

Gotta say that I thought it was a boring game too.
I accept that defences were hard and committed, but did either team actually tried to carve the other open? No risks were taken and no one really tried to "win" the game for me.
I'm NSW all the way, but they're too easy to defend against. I'd like to see them try and get good, quick, early ball out wide and take really them on on the edges instead of simply hoping for an overlap - Better to die on your feet than live on your knees.

Maybe someone fixed the game?????