Rugby league’s greatest rivalry returns Exclusively LIVE and FREE to Channel Nine when the XXXX Queensland Maroons face the NSW VB Blues in Holden State of Origin Game 1 at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, May 31, at 7.30pm. 
 
The voice of rugby league, Ray “Rabs” Warren, will call the action from the Nine Network commentary box alongside Peter Sterling, Phil Gould and Paul Vautin.

James Bracey will host Nine’s exclusive LIVE and FREE State of Origin Game 1 coverage flanked by rugby league immortals Andrew “Joey” Johns and  Wally “The King” Lewis, along with Origin legends Darren Lockyer and Brad Fittler.

What’s more, viewers can get up-to-date scores, tackles and live commentary with Wide World of Sports on social media: LIKE the big moments on Facebook and Instagram. Join the chat on Twitter using #Origin.

2017 STATE OF ORIGIN COUNTDOWN ON NINE:

• SIX TACKLES WITH GUS – The hardest opinions and news stories throughout the 2017 Origin series will be covered every week on Six Tackles with Gus. Nine’s James Bracey will discuss the biggest rugby league issues of the week throughout the series with NRL legend and expert commentator Phil Gould.

• WWOS.NINE.COM.AU – Wide World of Sports will have expert analysis before and after each Origin match, with Gus Gould to pen an exclusive column on Wednesday and Thursday on top of his Six Tackles with Gus podcast. David Middleton will run his rule over the key statistics that will determine the Maroons and Blues fate, while the WWOS team will have the latest news about each side in the lead-up to the match. 

• NINE NEWS – Week nights from 6pm – Your favourite nightly news service will deliver the most up to date news leading up to Origin I. Led by Cameron Williams and Wally Lewis, Nine’s expert rugby league reporters Danny Weidler, Neil Breen, Julie Snook and Danika Mason will have all of the biggest stories before and after every game of the 2017 series from either side of the border.

• NRL FOOTY SHOW – SOO Special, Thursday, June 1, at 8.30pm – The 11-time Logie Award-winning NRL Footy Show State of Origin Special will have all angles covered following Origin I with the raw emotion captured through exclusive post-match interviews – giving viewers unrivalled access to the best players in the game from the sheds at Suncorp Stadium.

• 2017 HOLDEN STATE OF ORIGIN GAMES:

SOO Game 1 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Wednesday, May 31, at 7.30pm
SOO Game 2 – ANZ Stadium, Sydney Wednesday, June 21, at 7.30pm
SOO Game 3 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Wednesday, July 12, at 7.30pm

** Check local guides for details. 
        

Broadcast Times

Wednesday, May 31, 2017
State of Origin Game 1
XXXX Queensland Maroons vs VB NSW Blues

Sydney                    7.30pm LIVE on Nine 
Brisbane                  7.30pm LIVE on Nine 
Melbourne               7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Adelaide                  7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Perth                        5.30pm LIVE on Nine

For further information please contact:  
Ryley McKay  
Nine Network Publicity
rmckay@nine.com.au 
02 9965 2727 

Monday, 29 May 2017