Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic has put his hand up for NSW selection in the July 8 Origin decider after Saturday night's emphatic 30-4 defeat of the Storm.
Trbojevic returned from a two month lay-off with a hamstring injury in last week's golden point loss to Canterbury and has been one the Sea Eagles' best players in his two matches back.
Asked after the win against the Storm whether he would be physically ready for Origin, Trbojevic said: "Yeah, definitely. I've been back a couple of weeks, I feel good, so we will wait and see which way Loz and NSW go but I would obviously love to wear the NSW jersey again".
Fellow Sea Eagle Haumole Olakau'atu also sent a clear message to the NSW selectors with a powerful performance against the Storm.
A timely double for Haumole Olakau'atu ahead of Origin III
A controversial omission from the Blues' side for Game Two after more than holding his own in the series opener, Olakau'atu scored two tries in the opening 12 minutes and ran 160m with the ball in Manly's 30-4 triumph.
Sea Eagles coach Kieran Foran backed Olakau'atu's recall.
"I thought he was exceptional, particularly at the start. He scored two big tries and is just a wrecking ball with the ball in hand and he is brutal defensively as well," Foran said.
"I just think his form is of such high quality, he hasn't had a quite game this year. He has been at the opposition constantly. We have been asking him to bring his best and he has certainly done that. He is very unique player."
Panthers firebrand Liam Martin failed to make the most of his Origin audition in Townsville as the competition leaders lost their second game on the trot.
Martin had just seven runs for 42 metres and came up with two errors as the Panthers fell 28-12 to a fired-up Cowboys outfit.
Jeremiah Nanai gets a spectacular double
Martin has been a mainstay for the Blues in recent years and was lining up for his fourth game for the Panthers since returning from a knee injury.
Cowboys duo Jeremiah Nanai and Murray Taulagi put their hands up for Maroons selection in the decider with sensational performances in Jason Taumalolo's 300th game.
Nanai came up with a double, including a spectacular take to bring down a bomb and score, while Taulagi grabbed the game's opening try after just two minutes as the Cowboys put the wind up the Panthers early.
Roosters breath easy
Meanwhile, Roosters prop Lindsay Collins and halfback Sam Walker are facing fines after being charged by the match review committee.
Collins was placed on report midway through the first half at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night for a high shot on Xavier Willison that resulted in the Brisbane lock failing an HIA.
Collins has been charged with a Grade1 Careless High Tackle offence that carries a $1000 fine but he also has his own fitness battle to navigate in the coming days.
The prop suffered a head knock late in the first half and subsequently failed an HIA after symptoms developed during half-time. He will now be placed in the 11-day stand-down period.
While the mandatory stand down does not rule him out of the Origin decider on July 8, he will be on limited duties for the opening days of Queensland camp as he passes through the head knock protocol and will not be permitted to do any contact sessions for nine days.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said Collins was doing okay in the sheds post-game.
"He's disappointed at not being able to go back on," Robinson said. "He's also pretty clear about when he felt the knock where he wasn't good enough to go back on.
"[The symptoms] didn't appear until half-time. He got replaced as normal [in the first half] but when they did appear we didn't put him back on."
Walker, meanwhile, has been hit with a Grade 1 Shoulder Charge offence and will be fined $1500 with an early guilty plea.
The No.7 can now turn his attention to Origin Three and his push to lead the Maroons to a series win and claim the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series.
Queensland coach Billy Slater will name his side for the clash on Monday morning.
NSW coach Laurie Daley will unveil his team on Sunday night following the conclusion of the clash between the Knights and Tigers.
NRL.com will keep you updated on any injury or judiciary news involving Origin contenders.
Match: Maroons v Blues
Game 3 -
home Team
Maroons
away Team
Blues
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Crichton puts hand up for Blues recall
Canterbury skipper Stephen Crichton has declared he is ready to go if he gets the call from Daley for the decider.
The centre was initially named in the NSW squad for Game Two but withdrew soon after due to a shoulder injury he has carried for most of the season.
The injury limited his ability to train prior to the series opener and he reaggravated it in Canterbury's Round 13 clash with the Tigers.
There was concern for Crichton late in the first half of Friday's win over the Titans when he reeled out of a tackle clutching his shoulder and neck. It was just a stinger and he played on to complete the match.
Talking post-game, the centre declared he is ready to deliver for his state.
"Everything's good," Crichton said in the post-game press conference.
Murray presses claim for starting spot
Rabbitohs skipper Cam Murray has pressed his claims for a NSW starting spot with a dominant performance in his side's win over the Eels.
South Sydney's 32-12 victory in the opening game of Beanie for Brain Cancer Round kicked off the final chance for State of Origin contenders to put their hands up for a place in the Blues and Maroons sides for next month's decider.
Murray ran for 176 metres and made 30 tackles in a tireless effort for the Rabbitohs at CommBank Stadium. The forward has come off the bench in the opening two games of the series but there have been calls for him to start at lock at Suncorp Stadium.
Blues teammate, and Eels halfback, Mitchell Moses was below his best but successfully completed the game as he looks to retain his place in the NSW side.
The playmaker strained his hamstring on the eve of the series opener but returned to the field in Game Two at the MCG.
NSW coach Laurie Daley must weigh up whether to stick with Moses or revert to rookie Ethan Strange, who starred on debut in a stunning comeback victory at Accor Stadium.
Latrell's late bid falls short
South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell's bid for a State of Origin comeback has been derailed by a calf injury.
The centre was due to play on Thursday in his first game since injuring his back during Magic Round, however he picked up a calf strain at training on Monday morning.
The latest setback will see Mitchell sidelined for around a month, ruling him out of contention for the Blues' squad for the decider.
Everything will be on the line when NSW take on Queensland in an epic State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium. Don't miss any of the action on Channel 9 and 9Now Wednesday July 8.
