2026 Origin Greyhound Series teams announced
Interstate rivalry will ramp up next week with a new coaching battle to headline this year’s Ladbrokes Origin Greyhound Series at The Q.
Racing Queensland and Greyhound Racing NSW have locked in their teams for the showpiece event to be held on Q2 Parklands on Thursday, June 25.
The battle for state supremacy will reignite with the Group 3 Origin Sprint and Origin Distance, along with the Group 3 Origin Match Race, in the eighth running of the series.
After wrestling back the Origin crown in 2025, the Sunshine State has announced a strong line up of stars, headlined by star sprinter and reigning Queensland Greyhound of the Year Daysea’s Rory.
Trained by Tom Tzouvelis, the superstar chaser is coming off a remarkable 12 months, notching 17 wins and eight placings from 38 starts in 2025.
Daysea’s Rory will be joined by Flying Amy finalist Zipping Urban and Rockhampton Cup winner Star Turn in the Sprint, while the Jedda Cutlack-trained Soiree will represent the Sunshine State in the Distance following her come-from-behind win in the world’s richest staying event The 715m.
Queensland will once again be represented by Blue Blend in the Match Race after his victory in 2025 secured the shield for the Maroons.
Meanwhile, NSW have assembled a top squad that is headlined by superstars Winsome Jet, Winsome Rambo, Magpie Hector and Cumbria Jack.
Former Maroons great Allan “Alfie” Langer will take the coaching reins for Queensland for the first time, while former Blues captain Benny Elias will return in the NSW coach’s cap for a second year.
Langer, fresh off the Maroons victory in Wednesday night’s State of Origin in Melbourne, said the Queensland team were hell-bent on retaining the Origin shield after wrestling it back in 2025.
“After Queensland wrapped up the State of Origin series in Sydney in Game Three last year, the Maroons will be looking to take home the shield again this year – and so will we on the greyhound track,” Langer said.
“It is always great to beat NSW, and we are determined to remind them, and Benny Elias in particular, that you have to be very good to beat us on our home deck.
“It’s fantastic to see champion greyhounds Daysea’s Rory, Blue Blend and Soiree lining up for Queensland, and I am confident we have the team to take out this year’s series.”
The Group 3 Origin Sprint and Origin Distance will again be run for $150,000 each, while the Listed Origin two-dog Match Race has a $60,000 purse on offer.
The overall series tally sits at four-three to Queensland after its introduction in 2018.
Queensland has also announced its squad for the Group 3 Straight of Origin, to be held at Capalaba on Sunday, June 28.
The Tzouvelis-trained Armarta headlines a four-pronged attack for the locals, who will be out to retain interstate bragging rights after winning the race with Daysea’s Rory last year.
