2016 State of Origin game II

After the under-16s ground out a tough 12-10 win prior to Game One in Sydney the Blues shot out of the blocks with a try in the opening minute and dominated a Queensland team who were guilty of far too many errors, particularly inside their own half.

The Blues made a similar late change ahead of Origin I earlier this month, when Bird was then also moved out of the 13 from lock and back to the bench. James Tamou moved from the bench into the starting side and skipper Paul Gallen replaced Bird at lock.

NSW will confirm their starting side one hour before Wednesday night's scheduled 8.20pm kickoff.

NSW must win Origin II at Suncorp Stadium to keep the series alive, after their 6-4 loss in Origin I in Sydney.

At every opportunity during his 11-minute interview Walters spoke glowingly of the Blues' No.1 and the threat he poses to the Maroons' bid to wrap up the 2016 Holden State of Origin Series at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

Despite showing a vulnerability under the high ball at club level and coming up with what could have been a calamitous fumble in the in-goal in Game One, Moylan is the man the Maroons have singled out as key to the NSW attack in what both coaches are predicting will be a more open style of game than was witnessed in Game One.

Opinion has been divided on Parker's decision to announce his retirement at the end of the season two days out from potentially the biggest rugby league match of the year but both Walters and Blues counterpart Laurie Daley expressed surprise at the 34-year-old's decision.

The recipient of the Wally Lewis Medal last year as the best player in the 2015 Holden State of Origin Series, Parker had intimated that he was keen to play on in 2017 but instead has decided to make this year his 16th and final NRL season with the Broncos.

Speaking with long-time Balmain, NSW and Australia teammate Steve 'Blocker' Roach for the New South Wales Rugby League's 'Turn Back Time' series, Elias opens up on the difficulty of breaking into rugby league as a diminutive youngster of ethnic background in the early 1980s and the coaches who influenced his career along the way.

The last Blues team to visit Origin's most intimidating arena were decimated in a 52-6 record flogging and for the must-win Game Two on Wednesday night seven players will face a sea of some 50,000 Maroons for the very first time.

Five-eighth James Maloney is the only member of the NSW backline to have played a single Origin game in Brisbane while in the forwards debutants Jack Bird and Tyson Frizell have been handed Origin's toughest introduction.

Merrin – a veteran of 13 Origins for New South Wales – was overlooked for the series opener at the beginning of the month. 

The 26-year-old was told by coach Laurie Daley the Blues were "heading in a different direction" this series by initially naming big men James Tamou, Andrew Fifita and David Klemmer on the interchange. 

Merrin's Origin dumping became a harsher reality when Daley chose to bring Tyson Frizell in for his debut on Wednesday night following Wade Graham's suspension. 

In a game where attacking opportunities were scarce for both teams, Inglis had just 11 carries for 104 metres in Game One for the Maroons and rarely had the time and space necessary to impose himself on the game.

The withdrawal of Josh Morris due to a groin injury has seen New South Wales coach Laurie Daley elevate Walker into the starting line-up at right centre and a daunting assignment against his former South Sydney teammate.

Dylan Walker will start in the centres, with Cronulla's Jack Bird to make his Blues debut off the bench.

Morris suffered a groin injury in a training run on Thursday, underwent intense rehabilitation on the team's day off on Friday before looking to prove his fitness on Saturday.

"It was my call. It's about putting the team first," Morris said on Saturday.

"I don't want to go in there and give a poor performance in a Blues jersey because of an injury.

McGuire was on Wednesday evening named to replace the injured Nate Myles in the Queensland starting team for Game Two of the 2016 Holden State of Origin Series and a toss of the coin and direction of the wind will determine whether he is the first man tackled in what could be the Series decider.

Dating back to the very first game in 1980 with Arthur Beetson, Origin matches have featured a roll call of barrelling bookends who have taken arguably the hardest run in rugby league by throwing themselves at the mercy of a rabid opposition.