Anticipation surrounding tonight's State Of Origin match is getting bigger as the game draws closer, with the "mate against mate" mentality spilling out into all areas of life, including here at The Music.

Sydney editor Mark Neilsen and Brisbane editor Steve Bell have been locked in a heated exchange, pitting the state's best bands against each other and after a brutal battle filled with guts, determination and skill, here are their starting line-ups - we'll let you decide who comes out on top:

New South Wales

Silverchair
AC/DC
The Jezabels
Big Heavy Stuff
Radio Birdman

VS

Queensland

The Saints
The Go-Betweens
Powderfinger
Violent Soho
Regurgitator

NEW SOUTH WALES

SILVERCHAIR

Playing career: 1992–2011
Famous for: bursting out of the gates as teenagers
Strengths: solid backline, ability to change style of play
Key track: Straight Lines

AC/DC

Playing career: 1973–present
Famous for: distinctive uniform for star player, conquering the world stage
Strengths: delivers a constantly high standard performance, year in, year out
Key track: Back In Black

THE JEZABELS

Playing career: 2007–present
Famous for: taking on their critics and letting their form do the talking
Strengths: floating like a butterfly, but stinging like a bee
Key track: Endless Summer

BIG HEAVY STUFF

Playing career: 1990–2006, 2009, 2010
Famous for: influencing the influencers; under rated players who influenced a whole crop of newcomers in the late '90s
Strengths: weaving in and out, memorable plays that stick in your head
Key track: May

RADIO BIRDMAN

Playing career: 1974–1978, 1996–2008
Famous for: spearheading a new movement
Strength: aggression, tenacity
Key track: New Race

QUEENSLAND

THE SAINTS

Playing career: 1974-79 (original tenure only)
Famous for: First punk band outside US to release album, arguably invented DIY independent releases
Strengths: Scabrous, tough, unrelenting
Key track: Run Down

THE GO-BETWEENS

Playing career: 1977-89, 2000-06
Famous for: Bridging maneuvers, referenced in songs by Teenage Fanclub, Belle & Sebastian and Smudge
Strengths: Hyper-literate, chronically under-rated
Key track: Head Full Of Steam

POWDERFINGER

Playing career: 1989-2010
Famous for: 47 ARIA nominations for 14 wins, successive triple j Hottest 100 victories (1999-2000)
Strengths: Love the jumper, would run through walls for Queensland
Key track: Pick You Up

VIOLENT SOHO

Playing career: 2004-present
Famous for: Being from Mansfield, flying hair
Strengths: head-banging skills, endurance, red hot current form
Key track: Muscle Junkie

REGURGITATOR

Playing career: 1993-present (currently on extended hiatus)
Famous for: Seven ARIA Awards, sucking a lot of cock to get where they are, The Bubble
Strengths: Versatile, elusive, hard to pin down
Key track: Crush The Losers