Queensland legend Paul Vautin has warned that "anything can happen" as the Maroons enter Game One in the 2020 State of Origin series as underdogs against NSW.
Vautin is hoping the Maroons will channel some of the energy from Queensland's 1995 side as they eye victory in the opener in Adelaide on Wednesday.
It was 25 years ago that Vautin - then a novice coach three years into retirement and beginning his role as host of The Footy Show - somehow engineered a 3-0 sweep, ending a three-year Origin series losing streak for Queensland.
It was one of the biggest upsets in Origin history, and Vautin believes something just as inspiring could await the inexperienced 2020 Maroons as they face a stacked Blues side eyeing their third-straight series win.
"If you bond together then anything can happen," Vautin told Nine News Queensland.
"I've got no doubt Queensland will come up trumps this year.
"The players have just got to believe in themselves.
"NSW, once again, they're going to have a great side, a big fancy side which is going to be ribbing with talent, but we don't even worry about that.
"You worry about yourselves. You worry about what you're going to do."
Daly Cherry-Evans is the most experienced member of this year's Maroons but even he isn't sure what to expect in the first ever Origin series held over three weeks at the end of the NRL season.
With the six-again rule update speeding up the ruck this year, the Manly star is predicting defence to play a key role.
"It's been a really unpredictable year when it comes to the rule changes and what impact it has on the game," he said.
"We'll wait and see but we're hoping we can defend well so there's not too many points."
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