NSW Origin coach Craig Bellamy will give injured centre Timana Tahu until Friday to overcome his calf strain ahead of next week's series opener at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

Tahu was struck down with injury in the final minute of Parramatta's win over Manly on Monday night, but remains confident of taking on the Maroons next Wednesday.

The dual international is poised to play his first game for NSW since returning to the code from his two-year stint in rugby union, but is now racing the clock to be fit in time.

Cronulla skipper Trent Barrett, who was five-eighth in the Blues' game three win in last year's series, has been called into camp along with Melbourne pivot Brett Finch as cover for Tahu.

Bellamy said starting Barrett at five-eighth and moving Jamie Lyon to centre was a possibility if Tahu was ruled out.

"That's one of our options, obviously one other option would be to start Jamal (Idris)," Bellamy said.

"Hopefully by tomorrow we'll have a better idea of whether Timana will be playing or not.

"We're probably not going to go any later than Friday, he'll need to train Saturday."

The Blues will train in Wollongong on Wednesday afternoon with Timana likely to be a spectator for much of the session.

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