Cleary Named For NSW as State Of Origin Tonight Looms at MCG
state of origin tonight arrives at the MCG with NSW and Queensland both named for the 8.05pm AEST kickoff on June 17, 2026. NSW won game one, so Queensland must respond to keep the series alive.
James Tedesco starts at fullback, Mitchell Moses is at five-eighth and Nathan Cleary is at halfback for NSW. Queensland has Kalyn Ponga at fullback, Cameron Munster at five-eighth and Sam Walker at halfback.
MCG Crowd and Gates
Just over 85,500 fans are expected at the MCG, with gates due to open at 6pm. That crowd would rank fourth behind three AFL games at the venue in 2026, and it comes after the 2024 Origin match there drew 90,084.
The 2024 figure sat just under the venue record of 91,513, set in 2015. This year’s total will not reach that mark, but it still places the match among the MCG’s biggest sporting crowds of the year.
Cleary and Mary Fowler
Cleary is again central to NSW’s plan, and he was spotted with Mary Fowler before the match. Fowler, who is Cleary’s partner, is set for her first State of Origin experience at the Melbourne hotel stay.
For NSW, the spine of Tedesco, Moses and Cleary is the headline line-up. For Queensland, Ponga, Munster and Walker are the answers at the other end of the field, and the series pressure sits squarely on the team that fell behind in game one.
Game Two at the MCG
The opening is fixed, the teams are named and the crowd is already measured in the mid-80,000s. At a venue that has drawn 90,084 and once reached 91,513 for Origin, this one lands with genuine weight before a ball is kicked.
Fans have a clear schedule: gates open at 6pm, then the match follows at 8.05pm AEST. Everything else now comes down to whether NSW protects its lead or Queensland forces the series deeper.
