League: Daley rings changes in search for victory

Laurie Daley. Photo / Getty Images

After eight years of State of Origin hurt NSW coach Laurie Daley decided things had to change.

Daley admits he was emotionally drained after last year's 2-1 defeat, in which Mal Meninga's Queensland team turned around a 1-0 deficit to leave the Blues still searching for a first series victory since 2005.

"It took me a few months to get over it," said Daley. "I really felt like I'd let down the whole state.

"You put so much into it and to lose the decider by two points, it was hard to take, it really was."

That heartbreakingly narrow loss came after just one point had separated the sides in game three in 2012, demonstrating how much NSW had closed the gap following the horror show of 2009, when 31 different players were used by the Blues in a 3-0 series loss.

But close was not enough for Daley, or a NSW public long since over being baited by gloating Queenslanders.

Daley got together the core of the Blues squad in January for a two-day camp where he outlined his plans to end the drought in his second series in charge.

Out went the traditional pre-series camp in Sydney at beachside Coogee, opting instead to get well away at the Wallabies' former base in Coffs Harbour.

Sports scientists, daily saliva testing and life coaches were also brought in and training behind closed doors would become the norm.

Significantly, the traditional opening night, boozy bonding session was a thing of the past.

Daley also laid down the law about the culture he wanted, a lesson Mitchell Pearce learned the hard way when he was dumped for game one at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday - the 100th Origin match - after being thrown out of two drinking venues and arrested in one long night.

Pearce's axing also led to his Roosters' halves partner James Maloney finding himself on the outer as the coach turned to Bulldogs duo Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds.

Hodkinson and Reynolds become the 16th halves pairing used by NSW since 2005 but Daley is confident they have what it takes to win.

"Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds are playing extremely well. They are playing in a team that is leading the competition.

"They are in career-best form. I thought it was important that we had that [club] combination there."

Meanwhile, Queensland's preparations continue in their usual serene manner. A calf injury to Sam Thaiday resulted in just one change to last year's side with Sydney Roosters back-rower Aiden Guerra brought in for game one.

While NSW yearn for just one series victory, talk north of the Tweed is about not just a ninth straight win, but a decade of dominance.

Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston are four players already mentioned as future Immortals and with two games at Suncorp Stadium this year the odds are stacked in the Maroons' favour.

The Blues have not won a live game in Brisbane since 2005 and have only tasted success there twice in their last 11 visits.

So good are things looking for Queensland that skipper Smith admits complacency could be a problem.

"The team has won eight in a row and it can't afford to think 'we are back home, playing in the 100th game, the crowd will get us home and it will be OK'. It's not going to happen like that."

-AAP