Two pubs less than five minutes apart in Perth’s northern suburbs are set to split along State of Origin lines this week, with the Greenwood Tavern flying the Maroon flag for game one while The Carine backs the Blues. Game one kicks off this Wednesday from 6pm, and both venues are using the opening night to turn their regular crowds into rival camps.

At the Greenwood Tavern, the push starts with a new four-metre LED screen on May 27 and a steak night to go with it. The Carine is answering with $20 schnitzels and $25 parmys on the same night. Both pubs are selling their state’s beer for $9 all series — XXXX Gold at the Greenwood and Tooheys New at The Carine — and both say fans from either side are welcome.

The numbers behind the promotion show how hard the two venues are leaning into Origin. Game nights will run across all three fixtures on May 27, June 17 and July 8, with halftime games, pick-the-margin competitions and giveaways that include supporter gear and a chance to win your height in beer. The biggest prize on offer is flights and tickets to State of Origin in Brisbane next year, giving the series a payoff that stretches well beyond the final whistle.

State of Origin is almost here, and in Perth’s northern suburbs that has turned into a pub contest as much as a football one. The Greenwood and The Carine are less than five minutes apart, which gives the rivalry a local edge and makes the choice of where to watch feel almost like a team selection in its own right. The Morris Hotel is also showing the game on its big beer garden screen and pouring east coast beers for fans from both sides, widening the viewing options for anyone looking for a crowd.

What stands out is that the pubs are not trying to keep the audience on one side of the divide. They are building the mood around the rivalry, but they are also explicitly opening the doors to whoever wants in. That keeps the nights from becoming closed-off fan camps and makes them more likely to pull in the undecided, the curious and the people who simply want a loud place to watch the series start.

For the Greenwood, the new screen and the steak night give game one a more polished launch. For The Carine, the cheap meals and Blues colours are a clear invitation to settle in early and stay late. Together, the three venues are turning the start of State of Origin into a local event calendar, with the first kick in Sydney carrying a pull all the way to Perth. By Wednesday evening, the real contest in those pubs will be as much about noise, loyalty and prizes as it is about points on the board.