League: Daley must start talent hunt again

Blues coach, Laurie Daley. Photo / Getty Images

Adam Reynolds, Luke Keary and Blake Ferguson shape as possible beneficiaries of New South Wales's record State of Origin thumping.

Blues coach Laurie Daley will once again drag his feet back to the drawing board as he seeks to again find a way to defeat the formidable Queensland machine.

So dominant, so comprehensive, so overwhelming was the Maroons' 52-6 win in the Origin decider in Brisbane on Wednesday night that Blues fans would be forgiven if they begin to think last year's series victory was nothing but a dream.

Time is on Daley's side, he has a young squad and most of Queensland's players probably only have a year left in them. Regardless, changes will need to be made for NSW.

Blues halves Mitchell Pearce and Trent Hodkinson were fantastic in game two, but lost their way in Origin I when it mattered and that was0 where the series was lost.

A number of injuries have played havoc with Reynolds' season with South Sydney. But Daley has been keen before to lean on NRL club combinations and if he and Rabbitohs halves partner Keary start 2016 well they will both be right in the Origin mix. The Roosters' Ferguson would have been a certain selection if not for a long-term foot injury and given Will Hopoate's forgettable 2015 Origin series, the Parramatta utility will be lucky to hold his spot in the Blues side next year.

- AAP