Klemmer haunted by Origin nightmare

NSW’s record State of Origin defeat has never left Blues prop David Klemmer.

The Canterbury enforcer came of age in the interstate arena in NSW’s win in game two last year when he stood up to the Queensland pack, in particular veteran Corey Parker.

But all that was lost in NSW’s 52-6 eight-tries-to-one hammering at Suncorp Stadium three weeks later as Queensland wrestled back Origin supremacy.

“It really hurt that game and you still think about it,” Klemmer told AAP.

“I would be sitting around over the summer watching TV and would find myself thinking about it. I would think about it just about every day.

“It really hurt, it wasn’t a great experience for anyone involved.”

“It was embarrassing and I know we all felt that way.”

Klemmer will start on the Blues bench for Origin I in Sydney on June 1.

“All of us who were there I know we want to make up for what happened,” he said.

“We can learn from what happened and use it when we do get back out there.”

Will Hopoate, Mitchell Pearce, Trent Hodkinson, Beau Scott, Ryan Hoffman and Trent Merrin

were all casualties off that loss, ommitted from coach Laurie Daley’s 19-man squad named on Monday.

Blues skipper Paul Gallen, who is playing in his last series, anticipated Daley would move to shake up his side.

“There were always going to be changes,” Gallen said.

“It was an embarrasing loss. It was very hard to take and we are not hiding from that.

“But we have to look ahead now, it is a new side and a chance to make amends for that.”

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