Former glamour centre Steve Renouf believes outspoken Justin Hodges will back up his talk by trying to bully NSW debutant Michael Jennings in Wednesday night's State of Origin series opener.

Hodges - who survived a horror Origin initiation of his own in 2002 when he gifted NSW two tries with wild passes in his own goal - fired the first 2009 series salvo by suggesting Jennings would be "scared" playing his first Origin game against Queensland's all-Australian backline.

"That's Hodgo, isn't it," Renouf told AAP on Monday.

"The thing is Hodgo will try and deliver on what he said, he'll stand behind his words on the night.

"If he's going to say stuff and back it up, I think that's great.

"He'll try and bully his opposition.

"That's what he does and he does it well."

Renouf described Penrith flying machine Jennings as a "freaky talent".

"He can run like the wind, he's got great poise and balance and he knows how to find the try line," he said.

The same sort of accolades flowed when a fleet-footed and elusive Renouf first burst onto the rep scene in the early 1990s after shining for Brisbane.

"NSW have been crying out for a player like him," said Renouf who's followed the youngster's progress closely.

"He's definitely going to make Queensland think and I don't think he'll take a backward step."

Renouf, who played the first of his 11 Origins in the 1991 series said history showed nerves could sometimes get the better of players making their Origin debuts.

"There's been some blues made by debutants, you see it every few years, that's just Origin." he said.

"Maybe Hodgo was just trying to put him off his game but the kid's been playing first grade long enough not to let that unsettle him.

"I hope he plays well, but not too well."

Renouf remembers his Origin debut proudly.

"It was a very special moment the fact it was at Lang Park and I was playing with the King (Lewis)," he said.

"I remember running out off the bench and feeling bullet proof."

One thing Renouf remembers about Origin is how important it was for the forwards to get on top.

Queensland will have its first all-Australian backline in 85 years on Wednesday night but Renouf said they needed their forwards to win their battle for the flashy backs to deliver a win for the Maroons.

"But all being equal, and the two teams play to their potential, I think Queensland should run riot," he said.

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