Canberra Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker has urged his players to turn a State of Origin snubbing to their advantage when they host a depleted Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
Queensland second rower Josh Papalli was the only Raider named to play in the Origin opener after Blues contenders Croker, Junior Paulo and Shannon Boyd were overlooked by coach Laurie Daley on Monday.
Croker admitted it was frustrating to once again miss selection but with five Roosters on Origin duty the 26-year-old 200-gamer is determined to turn the snubbing into a positive for the Raiders.
"It's nice to be spoken about in that form of the game because it's obviously the pinnacle of the game but it does get frustrating when it's spoken about every year and then not getting picked," Croker said.
"Boydy was playing for Australia if not for his foot injury three weeks ago and I think Junior has been the form front rower over the last four or five weeks so those guys were really unlucky.
"While it's disappointing for everyone who's not involved in Origin, we're only missing one player this weekend and I think the guys who missed out are just going to be stronger for us.
"The Roosters are missing a lot of star power this week but we don't want to fall into that trap of an undermanned Roosters. They're still a strong side with extremely good players but if we show up and do all the things we want to do right then the rest will take care of itself."
Without stars Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Matt Scott and an injury cloud hanging over Johnathan Thurston, Croker believes the Maroons are vulnerable in game one.
"Queensland are missing a lot of experience with not not picking Billy Slater for starters and then Inglis and Scott out injured, and if Thurston doesn't play there's a massive amount of experience lost right there," Croker said.
"Obviously they've still got [Cameron] Smith and [Cooper] Cronk and those sorts of guys but I think if they [Blues] are ever going to beat them it's going to be now."
The guessing game over Thurston's fitness is expected to be drawn out into next week but the recovering playmaker does not think it is unfair to make back-up Anthony Milford sweat on his State of Origin debut.
"If I was his age and had the opportunity to train and spend a week with the calibre of players in that team, I would be licking my lips," Thurston said.
Milford was named as No.6 for the series opener in Brisbane next Wednesday but Thurston has been given until kickoff to overcome a shoulder injury suffered in the trans-Tasman Test in Canberra earlier this month.
Thurston looks set to know if he can play a 37th straight Origin after a Sunday contact session at the Maroons' Gold Coast camp.
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't a chance of playing," Thurston said.
"Some injuries, you can push through but the type of injury I have got you need to be 100 per cent to play. On Sunday, I will lock in some contact maybe if it is feeling good and see how we go."
Asked if it was unfair to make Milford sweat on an Origin debut, Thurston said: "It (Queensland camp) is a wonderful environment to learn and better yourself.
"You walk away from it feeling bulletproof. Whether he plays or not, his game will go to another level."
Thurston admitted he faced an agonising decision ahead of game one with this Origin series his last after confirming he will retire from representative football at season's end.
"The risk is I tear it completely and that is the season," Thurston said.
"It's a big decision to make. There's still a lot of football to be played this year.
"But the shoulder is getting better every day."
- with AAP
