State of Origin III will be held in Newcastle, the Australian Rugby League Commission has announced.
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McDonald Jones Stadium will host the historic match next Wednesday.
It will be the first Origin in NSW to be played outside Sydney.
National Rugby League CEO Andrew Abdo said the game was a reward for the people of Newcastle and the Hunter.
"These fans are among the most passionate fans in our game. They turn out and support the Knights every week and we are excited to bring Ampol State of Origin to Newcastle," he said.
"One of the positives to come from the pandemic has been the opportunity to give passionate rugby league communities like Newcastle and Townsville the chance to host Origin when they otherwise wouldn't."
The match was scheduled to be played at Stadium Australia, but with Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown extended for another week Newcastle firmed as a host venue and financial incentive from the NSW government to keep the game in NSW is understood to have swayed the ARLC.
The stadium's capacity will be capped at 75 per cent. The ARLC said "up to 20,000 fans" would attend.
People from Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will not be permitted to purchase tickets.
Tickets will go on sale from Monday and will start at $49 and $140 for a family.
A waitlist will be available at NRL.Com/Waitlist.
Knights and Origin members will be offered an exclusive window to purchase tickets.
The match announcement follows the Newcastle Herald's "Bluecastle" campaign in recent weeks to bring Origin to the Hunter.
Knights legends Paul Harragon, Danny Buderus and Kurt Gidley all backed the campaign, as did the eighth Immortal Andrew Johns.
ARLC chairman Peter V'landys expressed his belief the match should be played in Newcastle. Deputy Premier John Barilaro was also in support of bringing the match to town.
More to come.
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