NSW backrower Ben Creagh has rubbished suggestions the Blues haven't got the mongrel to take the fight up to Queensland in Wednesday night's State of Origin opener.

Critics have suggested the Blues lack the enforcers needed to rattle the Maroons - with the likes of Paul Gallen, Luke O'Donnell and Greg Bird overlooked - but Creagh said there was more than enough bite to the NSW pack to end Queensland's four-year Origin dominance.

"We've got Brett White, Josh Perry, Mick Weyman as front rowers plus Tommy Learoyd - I don't know who says they don't have mongrel," Creagh said after a tough opposed session against a local team in Wollongong on Saturday.

"If they watch them playing week in week out playing club footy - how much more mongrel do you want?

"(Anthony) Watmough's in there as well - I don't know how people are saying they haven't got mongrel - I'm sure that's a bit of extra incentive for those guys and for myself and House (Trent Waterhouse) to play well."

Creagh was mocked by some Queensland supporters who suggested the St George Illawarra second-rower wasn't tough enough for Origin footy after seemingly backing away from a fight in the dying stages of last year's spiteful series finale in Brisbane.

With fullback Kurt Gidley attacked by a throng of Maroons livid at an earlier hit which concussed Queensland prop Steve Price, Creagh said he was simply attempting to help out his skipper before getting on with the game, even though he was sin-binned for his actions.

"There was a bit that happened about five minutes before that, so it probably wasn't the best idea to try and start up another one," Creagh said of coming to the aid of Gidley.

"I just went in there to push one of them off him because there was a fair few on him - it was never my intention to start another brawl again - I was just trying to get back onside and trying to get to the next play."

Having stood out for his ability to attack the edge of the ruck in his debut series last year, Creagh said he would again target Maroons skipper Darren Lockyer in defence.

But Creagh said it wasn't a case of trying to exploit a perceived weak link in the Maroons line, rather a continuation of the same job he does down the left edge of the Dragons' attack.

"I don't think I'm going to change up too much what I do week-in week-out for club footy, running off the seven and trying to find the inside and outside shoulders of whoever's defending there three in," Creagh said.

"I don't think there's any secret there, but there's no specific plan (to target Lockyer) - that's you're job as a backrower."

While the NSW left seems pretty solid with Creagh alongside Dragons teammates Matt Cooper and Brett Morris, the right looks like it could be a revolving door with Parramatta duo Timana Tahu and Jarryd Hayne to share duties with Canterbury youngster Jamal Idris.

Hayne spent plenty of time at fullback in Saturday's opposed session with Idris slotting in at both centre and wing.

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