NSW captain Boyd Cordner is warning his 11 State of Origin debutants not to play next week’s series opener too early.
Blues players, dominated by a record contingent of rookies, gathered for their first official training session at Coogee on Tuesday.
Coach Brad Fittler’s squad is largely free from the pain of Queensland’s dominance over the past 12 years but clearly lacks experience.
Cordner is equal-most capped player with nine games, while the Blues’ collective total of 39 games is the least of any side since 1984.
Cordner said the most important message he would send to the new players was to not wear themselves down too early.
“Origin is really intense. It can take it out of you if you’re thinking about footy all the time,” he said.
“When we’ve got training on and when we’re around footy it’s putting all the energy into that and when we’ve got some downtime and time away from footy – that’s exactly what it is.
“It’s to get away from it all.
“When it gets a bit closer you start to focus a bit more on the game.”
Blues players will take a relaxed approach with their Coogee-based camp their first spent in Sydney for an away match since 2013.
They will go on a Vivid cruise in Sydney on Tuesday night, as part of a lead-in which also included the True Blue dinner at The Star on.Monday night.
Cordner, 25, will tell his players to play the game just as they have NRL club matches this year.
Nine of the Blues’ players have been influential in taking their sides to the top three on the ladder, while only David Klemmer, James Roberts and Trbojevic brothers Tom and Jake are from teams outside the top eight.
“They are confidence players and they have been playing like that all year,” Cordner said.
“I will be telling them to do nothing different from what they do at club level. I’m sure they will come out and own it.
“All the guys are in form and have picked themselves.
“They’ll be coming with plenty of energy and plenty of enthusiasm. It’s about putting it in all the right places.”