League: Lockyer set to equal Origin record

A sell-out crowd of more than 52,000 will be on hand when this year's State of Origin series gets under way at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium tonight.

NSW can expect the traditionally hostile welcome from the partisan crowd, which will be primed to welcome Queensland hero Darren Lockyer, as he equals Allan Langer's record of 34 Origin games in his 13th and final series.

The Maroons are heavily favoured to build on their five straight series losses but coach Mal Meninga says the Blues aren't quite the underdogs they're claiming to be.

"They're going to say that but they'll be well prepared, we know that," he said.

"It's going to be a really competitive, aggressive and unrelenting type of game.

"It's going to be a battle of wills, really.

"I think we've prepared that way that if we do get into the battle we'll keep on persevering."

NSW are desperately hoping the new era of full-time coach Ricky Stuart can end five years of pain, starting with a 1-0 series lead after Origin I.

Stuart has left no stone unturned in planning the campaign and will have the team he wanted at his disposal after an overhaul of the Blues' selection procedure.

NSW skipper Paul Gallen backed the rebuilt Blues set-up to have his side ready.

"We probably couldn't have been any better prepared," he said.

"It's no secret Ricky's a passionate bloke and it's rubbed off on us and he's going to have us well and truly motivated."

The Blues go in with five debutants, while Willie Tonga and Dane Nielson replace injured test centres Greg Inglis and Justin Hodges for the Maroons.