Blues' class of 2017 is special: Cordner
Jul 10, 2017 - 5:03 AM Boyd Cordner knew from day one this year's NSW team would be something special.Not since NSW's class of 1996 rinsed Queensland blue in all three matches have the same 17 players featured across an entire State of Origin series.
And it's just extra motivation for Cordner to overcome a problematic calf injury in time to lead his team out of an expected sellout Suncorp Stadium decider on Wednesday.
The Blues skipper insists the 21-year record has played a telling factor in him and his teammates picking up the pieces from the spectacular second half collapse in game two.
"Since game one, that first meeting we had, I knew we had something special there. Just look around and see all the players that have been selected," Cordner said on Monday.
"It just gives you that extra confidence - all of them are in good form and what we done in game one was pretty good, pretty special.
"And then obviously disappointing, we put ourselves in a position to win it in game two."
The defeat in Sydney swung the series in the Maroons' favour, however Cordner is also banking on the fact that NSW have only trailed Queensland for five of the 160 minutes so far this year.
"We'll take a lot of confidence out of our last two games we've played. Hopefully we can put together a full 80-minute performance up there," he said.
Cordner, 25, admits his fight to beat a calf injury has been mental as much as physical.
The Sydney Roosters star hasn't played since coming off late in Origin II and completed his first full training session in Kingscliff in an opposed run on Sunday.
The Blues had Monday off before Tuesday's captain's run at Cbus Super Stadium, where 18th man Jack de Belin will be told whether he would make his debut in Cordner's place.
Cordner, who is the Blues' youngest captain since a 22-year-old Brad Fittler in that 1996 team, was unsure on whether he would play when he arrived in camp in Kingscliff.
"To be honest, at the start of the week I was deadset up in the air about whether I'd be right or not. But come Wednesday and Thursday, it really took a turn," he said.
Melbourne forward Dale Finucane and Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic were drafted in on Monday as emergency players for the captain's run and game-day warm-ups.
Penrith pair Matt Moylan and Trent Merrin, who were part of the extended squad for game two, weren't considered due to the Panthers' NRL away match against the Warriors on Friday.
Source: AAP
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