For rugby league fans, State of Origin is like Christmas Day. The anticipation, the excitement and the unbridled joy of seeing 34 of the best players in the country representing their state and playing with a type of passion and intensity that is just not present at NRL level is definitely worth the 365-day wait.

Throw in the history and nostalgia and the carrot of an Australian jersey for the players and it sets up for a beauty 2022 edition starting on June 8.

For me, Origin was a staple of my childhood. The sound of kernels popping on the stove is engrained in my memory as I waited for the delayed mid-week kick-off and of course the late bedtime.

These days, timing the three minute and 35 second wait for the popcorn in the microwave to coincide with the kick-off is a skill I have mastered.

You definitely don't want to miss a minute of Origin. The game is more a collection of 80 one-minute moments than a game of 80-minutes.

And you don't forget. As a New South Welshman, I've never forgotten the Mark Coyne try, the Allan Langer comeback or the pain of Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk beating on us for a decade.

It makes the good times even more sweeter. The glory days of the early 90s, the dominance of Andrew Johns and the current crop who have dominated for the past four years.

So who will pull on the blue and maroon this year?

Well, these were the winners and losers from the NSW squad announcement on the weekend, and here's the line-up Queensland's Billy Slater announced for his maiden squad for the June 8 opener.

One thing for sure is, whoever pulls on the jersey it is going to be a great game. But it's more than a game.

It's a chance to sit around with the family on a cold night and be proud of your state - win, lose or draw. I can't wait. I'm even going old-school with kernels on the stove this year.

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