Maybe you're not really a rugby league fan. Maybe you don't tune in to the NRL each week and even if you do, you might be that person who asks dumb questions. State of Origin draws in a large audience of general sports fans and those who just have nothing else to do on a Wednesday. We know this because Ray Warren (the commentator guy) along with his comrades Peter Sterling and Phil Gould usually dumb it down a bit, welcome the 'world' to the broadcast and explain things for the newbies. It's a pretty big deal, we all love it, you all love it and there are a few intricacies that go on. And a few glaringly obvious things.

We also know Origin's pulling power because so many bars in Auckland are packed to the brim ... I know for sure that there's not that many NRL fans in Auckland.

Dinner inside Camp Maroon, seafood on the menu @camsmith9 and JT are loving it #QLDER pic.twitter.com/V6xvIiaHzx
— Queensland Maroons (@Qld_Maroon) May 24, 2014

So thank your lucky stars that I'm here to fill you in...

First of all don't tune in to the broadcast when it starts in ya TV guide. This first match is the 100th State of Origin game and usually there is a whole lot of dramatic and cinematic build up ... so expect to endure a whole lot of build up before the game. You'll get a historical run down, you'll get Darren Lockyer and Andrew Johns breaking down the game and you'll get Phil Gould earning an Oscar for his on field motivational speech. This is either a good time to sink the majority of your beers or just go do something else.
Yes well done! Darren Lockyer voice does resemble *insert gravel/throat cancer type of reference. He's still cool.
He's got Maori tattoos and his name is clearly Maori, yes James Tamou plays for NSW. Don't bother asking how or why, it just happens.
Quick play the balls are the name of the game. This means that players running the ball will try their hardest to land on their bellys and get up quick, while defenders will do everything to slow it down. This is where most of the penalties will happen.
Both teams will walk the very fine line of the law. Penalties are huge in big games and often lead to points, but both teams know that getting quickly off their defensive line, putting pressure on the other team and slowing the play the ball down are all very important.
Yes they play for the same NRL team and yup they do play for Australia together, but they hate each other. They'll smash each other. They may punch each other. That's Origin.
Keep an eye on where the game is being played especially in the early stages. The team who are on top will roll down the field, kick and get the other team coming off their own try line. A poor set of 6 followed by a poor kick results in the other team getting the ball on their 30m line.
Momentum. You can see it, you can feel it and you can probably hear it. It'll change every 10-15 minutes and if you can't figure it out just go with the vibe. It's important because say if NSW have everything going their way and are on top, but can't score then QLD will put that in their bank and wait for/earn a shift in momentum (a penalty, NSW mistake, line break, good kick etc).
Queensland have done so well because they are always cool, calm and smart. Despite their dominance there have been many times where they are under the pump and have just found a way. In recent years, Cameron Smith has basically won the game for QLD with his genius play and kicking game and he's the man to keep an eye on.
If you find yourself struggling to keep up with the game and its intricacies, just enjoy the collisions. The first hit up is always a biggun, but throughout the game a strong run or a back tackle can turn the odds in your teams favour.
Fights. They sell State of Origin on the back of all the fights and many expect it to happen every game. There's always some sort of scuffle, but with players likely to be sent to the sin bin for throwing a punch you'd imagine players to have some restraint. 10 minutes with 12 men can have have pretty heavy consequences so while you should expect passion and pride to boil over, don't be disappointed when players aren't trading blows.
The word out of the NSW camp is that they're doing things a bit differently this year. They've moved their base out of Sydney, coach Laurie Daley is much more hands on and it's clear that they're taking a much more professional approach this year. Robbie Farrah and Jarryd Hayne are the main men, both are in great form and are not only NSW's best players, but also their leaders.
Kicking games. Long kicks that are caught on full are bad. Long kicks that find open pastures are good. Attacking kicks which result in a contest for the ball are good. Kicks that lead to a goal line drop out are good.
Refrain from looking at the clock. These games go by in a blur and you'll find yourself looking at the clock to see 30 minutes have already flown by. Just don't bother ... until sometime in the second half when you should check how long is left and what the score is.
It's probably best if you pick a side as well. Everyone around you will have a team and State of Origin fence sitting is frowned upon. Just pick a colour and roll with it. Then be prepared to roll with the ups and downs that will come with that decision.
Appreciate the battles. If you're tuned in enough you'll notice which players are playing well, which halves are dominating and dictating but take note of if there's any niggle between two guys. The hit up/play the ball process allows for plenty of niggle and it's always good fun to keep an eye on what happens after they play the ball.
Enjoy it. Don't be that dick asking a whole lot of questions. If you're not really interested, just get overly drunk on a Wednesday night, otherwise enjoy the spectacle that it is.