State of Origin: Writer's predictions

As the rugby league editor here at RealSport, I'm buzzing ahead of the first State of Origin game for 2018 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground tomorrow.

I've put the call out to my group of writers for their thoughts on how the game and the series might pan out.

Without further ado, here are their thoughts.

Jack McDonald

Game one winner: Queensland

Series winner: Queensland

Game one Man of the Match: Greg Inglis

Man of the Series: Cameron Munster

Breakout star: Jack De Belin

Bold prediction: NSW's speedy backline goes bust

Thursday's headline: Under-strength Queensland defies the odds

Daniel Friend

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: James Maloney

Man of the Series: James Maloney

Breakout star: Nathan Cleary

Bold prediction: Josh Addo-Carr scores five tries in the series

Thursday's headline: Jokers are trumps: Maloney the star in game one

Myles Stedman

Game one winner: New South Wales (just!)

Series winner: New South Wales (just!)

Game one Man of the Match: James Tedesco

Man of the Series: Nathan Cleary

Breakout star: Nathan Cleary

Bold prediction: Tyrone Peachey joins the annals of history as one of the worst State of Origin selections ever

Thursday's headline: Error-riddled NSW overcome valiant Queenslanders

Andy Tweed

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: James Maloney

Man of the Series: David Klemmer

Breakout star: Kalyn Ponga

Bold prediction: Queensland will use more players in this series than in any series for the last ten years

Thursday's headline: Break-away Blues: NSW enjoy point-scoring feast

Daniel Szabo

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: Latrell Mitchell

Man of the Series: Nathan Cleary

Breakout star: Nathan Cleary

Bold prediction: The penalty count will surpass 20

Thursday's headline: Blues win big as referees take centre stage with record high State of Origin penalty count

Kristopher Wareing

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: David Klemmer

Man of the Series: James Maloney

Breakout star: Nathan Cleary

Bold prediction: Latrell Mitchell bombs at centre, exposed defensively

Thursday's headline: Queensland show grit after horror week but lose narrowly to Freddie's Blues

Tom Stratton

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: Josh Addo-Carr

Man of the Series: James Maloney

Breakout star: Latrell Mitchell

Bold prediction: Josh Addo-Carr to score a game one hat-trick

Thursday's headline: High-speed Blues blow away under-strength Queensland

Jake Bull

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: Nathan Cleary

Man of the Series: Damien Cook

Breakout star: Latrell Mitchell

Bold prediction: Josh Addo-Carr gets a double

Thursday's headline: What does the Fox say? Origin victory

Bo Nicholson

Game one winner: Queensland

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: Valentine Holmes

Man of the Series: Tyson Frizell

Breakout star: Damien Cook

Bold prediction: James Roberts to have a horror debut with more than five missed tackles

Thursday's headline: Feels just like Holmes

Daniel Lang

Game one winner: New South Wales

Series winner: New South Wales

Game one Man of the Match: Reagan Campbell-Gillard

Man of the Series: James Maloney

Breakout star: Nathan Cleary

Bold prediction: New South Wales to clean-sweep the series 3-0 and win at least two games by double figures

Thursday's headline: Penrith contingent deliver Origin victory

What are your bold predictions for the 2018 State of Origin series? Let us know in the comments below.

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