CAMERON Shepherd is treating the Barastoc Interstate Series at Morgan Park this weekend as seriously as the Maroons treat State of Origin.

"We regard the Barastoc series this weekend as important in the lead up to next year's nationals in Albury," Cameron said.

"The Queensland team will treat this weekend like State of Origin. We will be fair dinkum about winning.

"The Queensland selectors have named a strong side to work on a few combinations and test a few fellows out with a view to the nationals."

Cameron Shepherd and Russell Owens are the Warwick players in the Queensland open men's team this weekend. Warwick player Paul McGrath is coach and Trish Shepherd manager.

At the nationals in Warwick in 2012, the Queensland men missed the final but made the top-two last year in Darwin before going down to New South Wales.

Cameron's wife Anita will play for Warwick in the Shell Cup competition this weekend after playing for Queensland women in the past two Barastoc Interstate Series.

Like so many in polocrosse, the couple from Massie met through polocrosse after she started her career with the Gold Coast club in 1998.

On Sunday, Warwick club members had a practice at Morgan Park which followed a working bee.

"It is always working bee first and then practice," he said.

"The fields are beautiful; I can't wait to play this weekend."

The Barastoc Interstate Series has attracted 20 teams including eight from Queensland and New South Wales, three from Victoria and one from Western Australia.

Plays starts with a Queensland U21 women's game against New South Wales at 10am Friday. Games will continue into the night Friday and there will be play from 8am to 9pm Saturday and from 8am Sunday to mid afternoon.

The Australian World Cup team will play its first trial game at 4.30pm Friday. 

Southern Downs players in Queensland teams:

Open men - Russell Owens, Cameron Shepherd (Warwick)

Open women - Coach Charlie Brook (Warwick)

U30 mixed Zac Cochrane (Warwick club), Chris Sillitoe (Cunningham) U21 men - Zac O'Leary, Aaron Sillitoe (Cunningham) U21 women - Carly Cooper (Cunningham), Ashlee Lindley (Warwick), coach Cameron Shepherd (Warwick)

Mixed masters - Trish Barlow, Charlie Brook (Warwick

Boys - Daniel Cooper (Cunningham), coach Robyn Cooper (Cunningham), reserve Callum Brook (Warwick)

Girls - Amelia Beck, Keeley McGrath, Sophie Wells (Warwick), Sophie Forster (Cunningham)