Is this long-suffering NSW's time at last? Or can Queensland extend their State of Origin reign by launching a Kalyn Ponga era?
The Maroons' State of Origin dynasty hangs by a thread after being soundly beaten by Brad Fittler's new-look NSW in the series opener earlier this month.
After 11 series wins in 12 years, Queensland have never been more vulnerable.
Searching for generational change after the representative retirements of some of the state's all-time greats, coach Kevin Walters has thrust Ponga into the Origin cauldron.
He made calls for his debut irresistable, presenting a strong case for being the form player of the NRL - despite being just 20 and having only nine first-grade games before this year.
Walters' side needed an injection of creativity after scoring just two tries - including one off an intercept - in game one. Creativity is what the elusive Ponga personifies.
However intrigue surrounds exactly how Ponga will be used after he was named as bench utility.
Some including Matthew Johns have suggested he'll come on at five-eighth - where he played for North Queensland in the under-20s.
Others suggest he'll be used as a roving forward or to replace fullback Billy Slater, who comes into the game hampered by a hamstring injury.
He's one of two changes to the Queensland line-up, along with returning great Slater, replacing injured Michael Morgan and dropped Anthony Milford.
While questions abound about Queensland, it leaves rookie NSW coach Fittler feeling nervous.
The Blues stand on the brink of a breakthrough series victory - however they've been in this situation before and butchered the opportunity.
Since Queensland's reign began in 2006, on four occasions the Blues have taken game one only to lose the final two matches - in 2006, 2008, 2013 and 2017.
"It started with (ex-Queensland skipper) Cam Smith. From the time he announced he wasn't going to play, I got more nervous," Fittler says.
"It's been like that every time. I think it's a good thing, we're keeping each other on our toes.
"I don't think we have to worry about last year, we have to focus on playing for 80 minutes.
"They all saw what happened last year and they know the dangers of playing any Queensland team."
While the Maroons' preparation for games one and two have been distracted by injury, the Blues' have had a relatively uninterrupted build-up.
Matt Prior beat out Ryan James and Tariq Sims to replace injured starting prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
At 31 and after 216 NRL games and two premierships, Cronulla's Prior will become the seventh-oldest Origin debutant and is being hailed as a like-for-like replacement for Campbell-Gillard.
He shapes as a key figure with the Blues' ascendancy in the middle proving the turning point in game one, with fullback James Tedesco and hooker Damien Cook running amok on the back of it.
The Maroons' middle forwards, in particular Jarrod Wallace, came in for criticism as a result.
"Defensively we need to get better," Walters says.
"I think they only had a few line breaks through our middle but we know Tedesco, Cook and (Latrell) Mitchell are very dangerous players.
"We just have to limit them like we did in last year's series after Andrew Fifita ran through us in game one.
"We fixed it up game two and that has to be our mentality for this team as well."
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