It is the game which could define Paul Gallen’s rugby league career, but the NSW skipper says State of Origin II won’t be a one-man crusade.
Gallen has become the poster boy of NSW’s quest to return the Origin shield south of the border for the first time since 2005 – a player who has been the Blues’ most consistent force against a Maroons outfit labelled the greatest ever.
While ending Cronulla’s NRL premiership drought would no doubt top Gallen’s rugby league wish list, being the man to lead NSW back to the top of the Origin pile would be a sparkling gem in his list of highlights.
But Gallen is refusing to look at Origin as a personal mission – despite Queensland doing their best to make him ‘Public Enemy No.1’ in the lead-up to Wednesday night’s second game of the series at Suncorp Stadium.
“It’s not about me this game,” Gallen said.
“That’s the thing we said at the start of the camp that this series isn’t about individuals this time.
“It doesn’t matter how many pats on the back you get if you play a good game.
“It’s about the result for the team and that’s all I’m concerned about is getting the result up here.”
That could be easier said than done, with Suncorp Stadium something of a graveyard for the Blues.
During Queensland’s seven-year Origin series winning streak, the Blues have won just two of seven games at the venue.
And they head to rugby league’s most intimidating venue with five players set to taste Origin at Suncorp Stadium for the first time.
“It’s intimidating – the Blues will be coming here trying to shut them up,” Maroons coach Mal Meninga said of the pro-Queensland crowd.
“(NSW will be) trying to do the best they possible can to ensure they (the crowd) don’t have an influence on the game.
“It does pick our players up, it is a huge bonus for us.”
And while the Blues would love to wrap up the series in two games and turn the last game in Sydney into a celebration, they are under no illusions as to the enormity of the task at hand.
“Our history would suggest we struggle up here,” Blues coach Laurie Daley said.
“That’s something that we’d like to change but we know it’s a lot of hard work.”
