It’s fair to say things have gone to plan for State of Origin promoters this year.

Cooper Cronk’s late field goal produced a thrilling end to Origin I, as Queensland won 11-10 in Sydney.

And then a competition record of 91,513 fans piled into the MCG for Game II and saw New South Wales set up a ‘live’ decider in the highest-rating piece of Australian television this year.

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There won’t be a spare seat in the house at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday and the varied and fascinating sub-plots could make this one of the best Origin games in years.

How do the Maroons go without Billy Slater? Can Greg Inglis do the job at fullback? Does an ageing, wounded Queensland have one last hurrah in them? Will Robbie Farah be fit? Is this the Origin match Mitchell Pearce grabs by the scruff of the neck? And can the Blues cope with what is sure to be a vocal and partisan crowd?

The answers will come this week.

The Blues won Origin last year…without Pearce. Photo: Getty

Pearce has played in just four Origin wins from 14 attempts. And the one series he missed – after being dumped last year for off-field issues – the Blues finally won, for the first time since 2005.

To say the halfback is divisive is an understatement but former NSW winger Adam MacDougall is confident he will be the difference.

“Mitchell Pearce has a real point to prove,” MacDougall told The New Daily.

“He was unfortunate to miss last year due to off-field issues but he has really matured. With Sonny Bill Williams, he led the Roosters to the Grand Final in 2013.

“He can do it in big games. He’s been so maligned but he needs to step up and he will step up.

“He’s a great player who has been unfairly criticised for many years.

“With many teams, if they don’t win, the halfback is the one who gets blamed. But people forget how great Queensland have been in the last few years.

“Mitchell deserves his chance and I’m sure he’ll thrive.”

MacDougall is adamant a partisan Brisbane crowd won’t spook the Blues and believes it might actually do the opposite.

“Queensland like to feed off their supporters,” he said.

“But I reckon I liked playing in Queensland more than New South Wales. I fed off them booing me.

“It’s always great to silence that Brisbane crowd and I’m sure New South Wales will be keen to do that. They are a great chance to go back-to-back.

MacDougall’s new book ‘The Man Plan’ is on sale. Photo: Penguin Books

“The cracks started to appear with Queensland last season. A lot of people were saying they were too old and too slow last year.

“New South Wales’ forward pack has been dominant. I think their Game I loss actually gave them lots of confidence, even though they lost. They only just lost and then had a dominant win in Game II.”

The Newcastle Knights cult hero has played 11 Origin games, of which three were ‘live’ deciders, and said there was simply nothing like it in rugby league.

“I believe Origin is the greatest test of ability in the game,” he said.

“There’s no more satisfying feeling than performing in Origin against the world’s best. Lots of guys play with little weaknesses in their game but you get found out in Origin with them.

“A series going down to the wire builds the intensity even more … when there’s more on the line, it can be more special.”

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MacDougall is currently promoting his new book, The Man Plan, in which he shares all the practical information men need to shape up, lose weight and get fit.

The book includes advice and recipes and can be purchased here.