They say there's no such thing as an Origin dead rubber but rarely has a series finale been as inconsequential as Wednesday night's contest at Suncorp Stadium.

Sure Queensland will be out to achieve their 'maroon-wash' as NSW bid to restore some pride in the sky blue jumper, but what will victory for either side really mean?

Already considered one of the greatest teams ever to ever pull on the maroon jersey, completing a 3-0 series win would do little to elevate the lofty standing of this batch of Queensland superstars.

Similarly, a loss would not mar what they have already achieved, because fans will always remember their four straight series wins.

Then there's the Blues. Will a morale-boosting win at The Cauldron give them bragging rights heading into the 2010 series? Hardly.

And if they come up empty for a third time this year, what will that deliver? Their stocks can't really sink much lower.

No, the result of the 85th meeting between these two sides matters little.

What is important however, is what the Blues learn from their crucial mistakes.

Not the dropped balls or the missed tackles, but the errors made way back at the start of the year when coach Craig Bellamy, his support staff and the NSW selectors started planning for the 2009 campaign.

Remember the 40-man squad named midway through April, which was supposed to form the core for the three-game campaign?

Well heading into game three in Brisbane, five players who weren't even in that jumbo-sized squad will be running out for the Blues, including starting halves Trent Barrett and Brett Kimmorley.

How is it that Barrett and Kimmorley were not considered good enough to be in a list of 40 players - which also included the likes of Colin Best, Anthony Quinn and John Sutton - but are now considered NSW's best bet to finally jag a win in the series?

There's a saying - 'Form is temporary, class is permanent', yet NSW insist on picking what they perceive to be form players.

If NSW win on Wednesday night, will the current squad - if fit - be given a crack in game one of next year's series? Utility Craig Wing certainly believes so.

"If we win, you can guarantee the guys in this team that wins will be favourites for the first game next year," Wing said.

"Especially after the first two games - if we can get it done, then (selectors should) just try and stick with the formula."

It is a formula the Maroons have been swearing by since the inception of Origin.

Was Darren Lockyer's club form enough to warrant him Queensland selection in game one ahead of Gold Coast skipper Scott Prince? What about Nate Myles, who was struggling at the Sydney Roosters before excelling when thrown into the series opener.

Queensland pick players they believe will succeed in Origin football, whereas NSW pick guys who are seemingly in form and then hope they will be able to stand up to the rigours of the most intense football on the planet.

Even Kimmorley, who will enjoying his fifth coming as a Blue on Wednesday night for what will be just his ninth game, admits what happens at Suncorp Stadium will hold little weight when it comes time for the side to be picked for game one next year.

"You can't guarantee that - you can't put blokes in for game three and say you'll definitely play game one," Kimmorley said.

"You need to be in form and I suppose the reason some of us got called into the side is because we've been consistently good all year.

"There's been eight changes or whatever from game one - that's been because blokes have been playing well at club level and just missed out on game one, just missed out on game two and been given a chance in game three.

"You've got to earn these spots."

But in the end, maybe it has nothing to do with form or past performances.

Maybe, as Kimmorley noted, it all comes down to a little bit of luck.

"Queensland have been blessed - they've had no injuries for a lot of time in their Origin career, no-one's been suspended, they've had the same side," he said.

"You get a bit of luck in this game."

Four straight series wins - that's some lucky run.

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