It’s the moments of games past that really colour the tradition that is Origin.

The State against State, mate against mate competition that evokes such passion.

It pains me to say but if you think about it, even the best moments for NSW fail to compare to those managed by Queensland.

All Blues fans old enough will forever remember the sight of captain Steve Mortimer falling to his knees on fulltime in 1985, arms raised, looking to the heavens in the knowledge he had just lead the Blues to its first series victory.

When you consider Queensland had won the five previous series, it kind of takes the sting out of it doesn’t it?

Michael O’Conner’s sideline conversion to win game 2 in 1991 was a cracker.

In pouring rain and literally the game on the line, he curled it inside the posts to score the Blues a 14 – 12 win but they still lost the series.

You can toss up what you like; the Maroons can trump you every time in this game of ‘memorable moments’.

Like in 1986 when NSW became the first state to clean sweep a series by winning all three games.

Yawn, it barely causes a ripple these days but no one forgets Paul Vautin’s ‘Neville Nobodies’ of 1995.

Everyone loves the Mark Geyer – Wally Lewis face-off in 1991.

Great moment but it didn’t win the Blues the series, something ‘The King’ managed to do time and again for Queensland.

Sadly for the Blues it doesn’t stop there, the best origin try is a dog fight between two Queenslanders.

There’s Mark Coyne’s famous effort in 1994 where he ended a wonderful team effort to win the game at the death or Billy Slater’s solo spectacular 2004.

So where am I going with this?

Well tonight the Blues have a wonderful chance to create their own memorable moment.

Injuries have plagued them, decisions have gone against them and there’s more than just a series on the line.

A loss marks four straight years of ‘second best’ – neither state has gone that long before.

No one expects the Blues to win – it’s the stuff of legend.

Here’s your chance NSW, come and take it, the scribes of history are waiting.