A pinched nerve in his neck related to a shoulder injury is set to rule Adam Reynolds out of State of Origin III.

The NSW halfback failed to train at the Blues Coffs Harbour base on Wednesday, with utility Jack Bird filling in.

Reynolds injured his shoulder in State of Origin II.

He struggled with the complaint in South Sydney’s loss to North Queensland last weekend and the injury hasn’t improved as well as NSW medical staff had hoped.

Reynolds is now at long odds to play in the game three dead rubber at ANZ Stadium next Wednesday.

Bird could slot in alongside James Maloney in a makeshift halves pairing.

The duo played together in the halves earlier this year for Country Origin.

Matt Moylan could earn a recall to the Blues side as a bench utility after being dumped as fullback for the final game of the series.

But Moylan could also slot into the halves with Maloney, with Bird staying on the bench as the Blues attempt to avoid a 3-0 series clean sweep.