Origin star Johnathan Thurston says he will be by his partner's side if she goes into labour before State of Origin Johnathan Thurston and expectant partner Samantha Lynch in Townsville. PIC: Scott Radford-chisholm Source: The Courier-Mail IT is the most anticipated birth in State of Origin, possibly Queensland, history. But there are no set rules for what Johnathan Thurston should do if his partner Samantha Lynch goes into labour as the Maroons are preparing for Wednesday night's series opener against the Blues. In the past, some sportsmen have rushed to their partner's side. Others, have stayed with their team. Thurston says there is no choice - he will be with Samantha should she give birth before her due date in seven days. And former Brisbane Lions AFL forward Daniel Bradshaw says that is the right decision. Bradshaw's wife Angie went into labour the day before Brisbane's semi-final against Carlton at the MCG in 2000 and he pulled out of the match to see the birth of his son Jake. Brisbane's season ended in an 82-point loss to the Blues. Bradshaw, who is back in his native Victoria playing in the Tallangatta & District Football League, has never regretted the decision. Like Thurston, he made up his mind early in the pregnancy to put family first. It made a phone call to then-Lions senior coach Leigh Matthews on match day much easier. For me, it was an easy decision. It was our first child," Bradshaw said. Johnathan Thurston in action during State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. I wanted to be there right from the start. Once my wife went into labour, I knew I wasn't going to be playing. I didn't want to take the chance so I told (club coach Leigh Matthews) early that morning that I was out. Leigh was really good about it actually. He said there was no right or wrong answer. Queensland Bulls skipper James Hopes was prepared to make a similar decision in March when the birth of his first child was expected to clash with the Sheffield Shield cricket final in Tasmania. In the end Hopes was spared making the choice when his wife Maria gave birth to Emerson Charlotte less than 48 hours before the start of the final. Other cricketers have not been as fortunate. Test cricket great Ian Healy missed the birth of his first child Emma in 1991 because he was on tour with the Australian team in the West Indies. Healy saw his daughter for the first time via a photograph that was transmitted by The Courier-Mail to Jamaica.