We reckon you can still experience all the excitement of State of Origin without actually being at the stadium. Besides who wants to deal with parking, crowds and waiting 10 deep at the bar?
With a little pre-planning you can enjoy the action without the aggro and have a great night out. Check out these ways to support your favourite team!
Party at Your Place
Pull up a couch or two and settle in to watch State of Origin on your own TV with a bunch of mates. For the basics you’ll need a big screen (consider hiring a widescreen TV if you don’t have one), homemade rugby snacks and some ice cold XXXX brew on hand. But if you want to put in a little more effort for your party, here are some suggestions:
Music
You might want to have some rousing tunes on standby to boost the mood or compliment it. Suggestions include: Europe – It’s the Final Countdown and Imagine Dragons – Radioactive for pre-game; Evanescence – Bring Me To Life or AC/DC – Back in Black for half-time and for the end of the game there’s Queen – We are the champions or U2 – Beautiful Day.
Decorations & Dressing Up
Decorations and dressing up are fun and will add extra excitement to the event. For instance, it doesn’t take much effort to blow up some blue and maroon balloons and hang a few streamers. For something more extravagant check out this balloon wall with clashing team colours.
Party Food
Whether you order in pizza or make the party snacks yourself, having some kind of food is essential before and during the game (especially if there are a lot of XXXX’s going down). You can stick with the classics: sausage rolls, hot dogs, pies or, if you fancy yourself as a chef, check out these State of Origin party food ideas
Best Bars to Watch the Game
If you’d rather someone else washed up the pint glasses afterwards, here are a few of the best places in Brisbane to head out to with your mates for some State of Origin action:
The Brew House
The Brew House in Woolloongabba is well set up to watch the game and serves a range of craft beers. With big screens situated in the restaurant, sports bar, lounge bar and beer garden, you’re sure to nab a good spot to view the action.
Caxton Hotel
The Caxton Hotel in Paddington is one of Brisbane’s oldest establishments and has a great traditional atmosphere. With five bars and a multi-award winning restaurant, you can eat and drink until the wee small hours. On game night they’re having a prize draw to win a signed jersey and other spot prizes.
The Normanby
If size matters to you, then the Normanby in Red Hill has a massive 400-inch screen set up in the beer garden for watching the game live. They are said to serve the best ribs in Australia and the atmosphere is lively. Book a table now to avoid disappointment.