Game 1 of the 2022 State of Origin series kicks off on Wednesday night, and is set to be a cracker.

The battle between the NSW Blues and QLD Maroons never seems to disappoint... unless it's 2021 and you're a Queenslander. Nevertheless, there is a special kind of excitement that comes with the greatest rivalry in Australian sport.

We have Billy Slater up against Brad Fittler in the coaches box, Junior Paulo and Payne Haas facing off against Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Josh Papalii and that isn't even the best of the match-ups.

While every game has its features whether it's a decider in Game 3 or a pivotal Game 2, there is a special electricity that comes with the unknown of the first game in a series.

There have been some fantastic games in the 42 years the series has been running. Most of the greats, like James Tedesco scoring in the final seconds of 2019's Game 3, come in series-winning games, but what about series openers?

Here are ten of the greatest Game 1s in State of Origin History.

4. 2015 - Cronk steals the game from the Blues

Another come-from-behind victory for the QLD Maroons... Why am I writing this?

While it is marred by yet another Queensland victory, there is no doubting the elite level this game was played at.

While their first try to Billy Slater was disallowed, the Maroons came ready to play. Almost exactly five minutes later, it was Cooper Cronk and his right-foot step that opened the scoring.

It didn't take too long for the Blues to make it a try each as James Tamou rampaged through the middle before sneaking an offload to Josh Dugan, who then put in a perfect kick to the flying Josh Morris who finished a great try.

Five minutes later, the Blues were in again as Beau Scott muscled his way to the line, making it 10-6 to NSW at halftime.

That joy was short lived however as Will Chambers scored his first Origin try in the 54th minute and Thurston knocked it over from the sideline to even the score.

The two teams wrestled for nearly twenty minutes as they each tried to gain the advantage but it was the Maroons who won out.

Cooper Cronk slotted a field goal from 20m out to put them ahead by one with six minutes left and their almost impregnable defence did the rest.