There's nothing like State of Origin match day. It's "mate against mate, state against state" as some of the nation's best rugby league players don the New South Wales blue and Queensland maroon for one hell of a physical clash. You've purchased the steaks, there's a carton of Coronas on ice and you proudly pull out your Blues jersey to wear to the office.
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But it goes downhill as soon as you arrive at work. Because, guaranteed, there's always a twit (or two) from Canberra loitering near your cubicle, sporting a Maroons jersey and talking up the talents of Gagai, Munster and Cherry-Evans.
You know, because being born at The Canberra Hospital and living in Macgregor all their lives has somehow made them a Queenslander.
And despite attending Eddies or Erindale College, marrying their high school sweetheart and never actually bothering to live anywhere other than Canberra, they've proudly adopted the sunshine state as their own.
It makes my blood boil.
Given everything Queanbeyan has done - and continues to do - to support Canberra, and given the capital's proximity to New South Wales, why don't ACT residents barrack for the Blues?
I asked three Canberra 'traitors' to justify their actions.
Business consultant and Monash resident Theo Dimarhos actually has a pretty good reason for supporting Queensland.
"I was a huge Wally Lewis fan back in the day," Dimarhos says. "And if you go for Wally, you naturally go for Queensland."
If that's the case, does Dimarhos "naturally" also go for the Brisbane Broncos?
"Actually I'm a [St George] Dragons fan," he laughs. "But only because I arrived in Canberra before the capital had its own NRL side.
"The Raiders are definitely my second team, I go to most home games."
A former Hellenic Club of Canberra president, Dimarhos will watch the first State of Origin game on Wednesday night at the Hellenic Club in Woden, and reckons Ponga will be a major influencer in the 80-minute clash.
"Aside from Wally Lewis, Gene Miles was always one of my favourites. But nowadays I'm a fierce believer in Ponga. He'll tear the Blues apart."
While Dimarhos will be dressed head to toe in maroon for Wednesday night's game, three-year-old son Joey will be sitting on dad's knee decked out in NSW blue.
Dimarhos's partner Melissa is a Queanbeyan girl - at least he's made one good decision in life - and it turns out she won the fight for which side their son will barrack for.
But if I thought a Canberran in a Queensland jersey was bad, what about a fellow Queanbeyanite who goes for the Maroons?
Event manager Rehanen Patterson - a rugby league fanatic who spends Sunday mornings on the sideline cheering on son Huntah who plays for the Queanbeyan Blues - doesn't even have a valid excuse for backing the Maroons.
"I support Queensland for the simple reason I want to stand out in my family," Patterson says.
"My friends - including my work colleagues - hate that I support Queensland. They all disown me at this time of year. I make sure I wear my jersey or hoodie proudly every chance I get."
Like Dimarhos, Patterson is looking to Ponga to lead her team to victory on Wednesday night.
"My favourite Queensland player of all time is Kevin Walters, but the player of today would be Kalyn Ponga - he brings an energy to the team.
"The Maroons are a big chance this year. If we play our game, we'll be unstoppable."
If there was a cake-taking Queensland supporter living in Canberra it'd be primary school teacher Michelle Cooper.
The 39-year-old has so much maroon paraphernalia in her Tuggeranong home "it's hard to find something I don't already own" in rugby league merchandise stores. Her collection includes five different Origin jerseys, a 22-year-old maroon tracksuit (in mint condition: she only wears it on Origin days), beanies, footballs, flags, garden gnomes, balloons, streamers, wigs, hats, shoes and even maroon Queensland underwear.
Pretty impressive for someone who wasn't even born in the sunshine state.
"All my family are born and bred Queenslanders," Cooper explains.
"Unfortunately I wasn't born in Queensland - shhh - but I lived on the Gold Coast for four years when I was little. I'd sit with my parents and we'd sit and watch Origin. It was a big occasion and I remember lots of yelling."
Cooper was proudly named "Canberra's biggest Queensland supporter" in a competition held by MIX106 two years ago. She's also a Brisbane Broncos fanatic, and spent many hours in her teens and early 20s loitering at Suncorp Stadium trying to get a glimpse of hero Gorden Tallis.
"He was so passionate about playing for Queensland," she says. "I met him a few times actually. He's a gentle giant off the field."
While Cooper generally makes the trip to to Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne to watch State of Origin live, she occasionally watches the game in a Canberra lounge room with friends.
"If you don't see me, you will definitely hear me ... QUEENSLANDER!"
Bree Element is a Canberra Times columnist.
Bree Element is a Canberra Times columnist.
