The NRL are reportedly set to take the Origin series opener to Adelaide as Billy Slater’s Maroons look to defend their title.

NRL bosses have reportedly scheduled Adelaide Oval as the host of the first game on Wednesday May 31 according to The Daily Telegraph.

The $90 million showcase serves as a huge boost for Queensland who have won the only Origin encounter played in South Australia 18-14 after trailing 10-0 at halftime.

The second game is also set to be played at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday June 21, giving Queensland a chance to avoid a decider in Blues Territory.

Origin III is set to be played at Accor Stadium on Wednesday July 12 as the NRL reverts back to exclusively Wednesday night encounters for the state vs state showcase.

Adelaide first hosted an Origin clash in 2020 during Covid which meant only 25,218 fans could attend the game.

In 2023, NRL powerbrokers are hoping to see a sellout crowd of 53,000 passionate spectators.

“We had a lot of uncertainty when we played there last time, we had a restricted build up and lead up” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.

“We had restrictions around what we could do from a marketing perspective, but also limits on the crowd because of Covid which impacted the experience.

“To be able to go back to Adelaide post-Covid and have a full house and have the full Origin experience is a great opportunity.

“The thing we found, our fans travelled interstate, so there will be plenty of NSW and Queensland fans travelling for that experience of seeing Origin at Adelaide Oval which is a very historic ground.

Meanwhile the 2023 grand final is set to be held on Sunday October 1, with Magic Round pencilled in for May 5-7.