Until their inexplicable collapse on the first morning of the Sheffield Shield final, Victoria had two things in its favour going into today's match at the MCG. One, that the game was at the MCG, and two, that it was the Sheffield Shield final.

The first is pertinent because in the last 28 first-class deciders, only six visiting teams have succeeded in winning. Moreover, Victoria is unbeaten in its last 13 starts at the ‘G'.

The second is relevant because in the nine seasons prior to this one, when the competition was known as the Pura Cup, Queensland defeated Victoria in three of the four finals they contested.

In all, Queensland played in seven of the nine Pura Cup finals, winning four. Victoria played in five Pura Cup finals, winning one.

Now that the competition has reverted to the traditional moniker of the Sheffield Shield - full marks to the competition's sponsor, Weet-Bix, for allowing the great name to live again, only insisting on "presented by Weet-Bix", which is treated as optional - Victoria can face the occasion with perhaps less trepidation, while Queensland has lost the mojo it often displayed when it was the Pura Cup.

After all, Queensland took 68 years to win its first Sheffield Shield.

It's fair to say that over the last decade a situation has developed where the competition heavyweights don't like each other. Victorians remember the 1999-00 Pura Cup Final, when, on the verge of storming to an unlikely victory, they celebrated having Stuart Law caught at second slip - but the gritty Queenslander refused to walk. There were only two cameras in operation, the footage was inconclusive, Law survived and with Martin Love, proceeded to bat Victoria out of the game.

The Victorian thirst for revenge was slaked in the title match four seasons later, at their fortress MCG, when, sent in by Queensland, they amassed 710, led by 155 from Matthew Elliott and six half-centuries from the rest, on the way to a 321-run triumph.

But that only prompted a nuclear revenge from the Banana-benders two years later, at their very own Gabbatoir, when they followed Victoria's 344 with a scorched-earth six for 900 declared, with Jimmy Maher and Shane Watson racking up doubles, and Martin Love and Clinton Perren posting 150-plus. In all, there were nine centuries in the innings - five of them from Victorian bowlers.

How much Queenslanders enjoyed that was summed up by the comment from the legendary Allan Border that captain Maher "should have gone for 1,000." Certainly the Gabba scoreboard attendants expected him to: they had a tin of white paint at the ready, knowing that the scoreboard could only handle a score up to 999.

Last year, at the Junction Oval, Victoria got one back, winning the toss and ensuring it could not lose, posting 510 on the back of centuries from Rogers, Hussey and White, and controlling a rain-affected draw that was enough to secure the title.

Today, hostilities recommenced. Victoria went in as favourite: on match eve, Centrebet had Victoria paying $2.05 for the win, with a draw (which would give Victoria the title) paying $2.65 and a Queensland win paying $4.75. But the Vics' first-session collapse would have produced a dramatic shortening of those odds being quoted on the Bulls.

Both sides had been bolstered by players returning from international duty on the Inhabited Reef, with captain Cameron White (pictured, above) returning for Victoria, and all-rounder James Hopes slotting back into the Queensland side. The visitors also welcomed back the solid Lee Carseldine, who is enjoying wonderful late-career form.

Victoria went in minus first-class retirees Brad Hodge and Dirk Nannes, and Clint McKay, who remains on Test duty in New Zealand, as does Queensland paceman Ryan Harris. Injuries had also depleted the hosts, with pacemen Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Shane Harwood all missing.

The attack chosen by Victoria for the final included the elder Pattinson, Darren, who famously played one Test for England in 2008; veteran Damien Wright, who has been outstanding with 33 wickets at 13 since being recalled to the team at the halfway mark of the campaign; John Hastings, whose 31 wickets at 27 this season have been more than handy; and Test discards Andrew McDonald and Bryce McGain, who are both dangerous at this level.

Queensland has a younger attack, led by quicks Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman and Chris Swan, backed up by Hopes, with the spin duties to be shouldered by captain Chris Simpson and possibly, 20-year-old leg-spinner Cameron Boyce.

It all started so well for the Vics, too. Cameron White won the toss this morning - in what should have proved a key moment - but the batsmen kept losing wickets at regular intervals until the Bushrangers staggered to 5/68 before lunch.

So much for the theory that Queensland's seamers might struggle on the MCG's drop-in deck and would quickly find themselves pining for their swing-friendly, green Gabba.