NSW coach Craig Bellamy has the game plan, the team has the attitude, but some of the right players are still missing.

The search for a winning NSW State of Origin side will continue over the next two rounds of the NRL until Blues selectors announce their team for the June 24 clash at ANZ Stadium.

Bellamy is confident he can mould his young team, which featured seven debutants in Wednesday’s 28-18 loss to Queensland, into winners.

“Hopefully we’ve started an era now that this side ain’t going to give up,” said Bellamy.

“That is a mentality we can build on besides some of the systems we put in place with our attack and our defence.

“I don’t think there’s going to be too many changes.”

The problem for Bellamy is that while his team is still learning to walk, Queensland have been running for three years.

The Blues must get up to speed for Origin II or the series is over and Queensland will have an historic fourth successive series title.

Changes are inevitable – and necessary.

Test forwards Glenn Stewart (suspension) and Paul Gallen (shoulder) will return after being forced out of the original 17-man squad with Anthony Laffranchi expected to be one fall guy.

Yet again most attention will centre on the halves after five-eighth Terry Campese struggled on debut and halfback Peter Wallace had a quiet night.

Newcastle’s Jarrod Mullen looms as the obvious, and in-form, replacement for either player but the options around the scrumbase are plenty and varied.

Jarryd Hayne’s sensational impact on the wing could allow Bellamy to give him more responsibility at fullback and move dangerous skipper Kurt Gidley into five-eighth.

Bench utility Craig Wing is another option in the halves.

The spark he provided off the bench would be a real eye-opener for selectors and could convince them to give Wing his first start after 11 Origins off the bench because of his strong combination with hooker Robbie Farah and Wallace.

Farah was perhaps the Blues’ best and his debut should secure his position for the remainder of the series.

Of the other rookies on display at Etihad Stadium St George Illawarra trio Ben Creagh, Justin Poore and Michael Weyman all showed enough to warrant second chances – even if the two props struggled with the pace at times.

Centre Michael Jennings is a star to build a backline around but the NSW right hand side has major problems.

Rookie winger James McManus and centre Jamie Lyon were exposed by Queensland superstar Greg Inglis and Matt Cooper, Joel Monaghan and David Williams are all Test experienced candidates waiting in the fringes.

Test props Brent Kite and Luke Bailey spent most of the first half defending, but Kite at least had second half impact as the Blues rallied home.

Luke O’Donnell had his moments but belongs in the Origin arena, while Luke Lewis didn’t do anything wrong in his short time on the field.

Bellamy was impressed with how his side clawed their way back into the game, but tough questions must be asked of the players who were on the field when Queensland ran in three tries in eight minutes that effectively won the game.

“We need to respond a bit better in the tough periods,” he said afterwards.

The next two weeks will show who is prepared to answer the call.

© AAP 2012

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