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Darren Lockyer has cast doubt on whether NSW have enough State of Origin experience in their ranks to upset Queensland in game 2 on Wednesday.
The Blues need to win at ANZ Stadium to prevent a seventh successive series loss and with rookie props James Tamou and Tim Grant starting the game, along with five-eighth Todd Carney, who endured a difficult debut in game one, former Queensland skipper Lockyer believes that could be a weakness.
“It’s a question mark,” Lockyer said on Tuesday.
“Origin is all about experience. The more experience you have the better chance you have of winning.
“They’re good players, but inexperienced at this level, although I believe they are there for the long term.
“Ricky has the team he wants to develop down the track.”
NSW great Andrew Johns said the Blues would take confidence from winning the second game of last year’s series in Sydney, and the young players in the side would have benefited from the experience in game one.
“I give us a hope, we’re a real big chance,” Johns said.
“Last year the game they played at ANZ Stadium was a huge step forward for the nucleus of the team and they will take great confidence from that.”
“The big word in footy now is the spine. (Hooker) Robbie Farah has come good in the last month and proved he is an Origin player.
“(Halfback) Mitchell Pearce and Robbie are going to be around for a very long time.”
Lockyer and Pearce were fronting a new initiative between the Australian Rugby League Commission and supermarket giants Coles to deliver a Backyard League program for children.
The program will see 125,000 students across the country given footballs and schools given the chance to enter teams in the five-week competition.
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