The first steps in resurrecting NSW's State of Origin fortunes will not begin with a search for a new coach - but rather a little bit of light reading to determine just what the Blues need.

As Queensland coach Mal Meninga lapped it up on Sydney Harbour to celebrate his 50th birthday and the Maroons' 3-0 series whitewash, the man in charge of helping turn the tide hit the books.

Brian Canavan, the former Sydney Roosters chief executive commissioned to head up a review into everything sky blue, said he would conduct "literature research on various practice models and performance management systems" to help get his head around what the Blues needed.

With coach Craig Bellamy not expected to be asked back for a fourth crack at beating the Maroons, the focus has quickly settled on his potential successor.

Canavan said he would provide recommendations to the NSW Rugby League within the next month, but rejected the notion he would nominate a candidate to take up the role despite admitting he would have discussions with several leading contenders.

"Individuals are not part of my brief whatsoever. It's just which models, best practices," Canavan told AAP on Thursday.

"I'm not talking to people in terms of candidacy, but I'll be talking to recent State of Origin coaches who'll be able to give me real precise in-depth information, and those people will include Ricky Stuart, Graham Murray and Phil Gould.

"But professional courtesy demands that I speak to Craig Bellamy first."

Asked when he would talk to Bellamy, Canavan said: "I don't know.

"I sent him a very brief text this morning which said `call when you're ready'," Canavan added.

Bellamy has already indicated he has several ideas on how the NSW set-up can be improved, but ultimately the responsibility will again fall to the players who time and again have failed to perform with any consistency.

That has led to much chopping and changing of line-ups. Bellamy admits the task of sticking solid with a core group was easier said than done.

"The players that are there, they need to play well enough to stay there," Bellamy said.

"Probably we have chopped and changed too much, I don't know, but ... you need to earn your position.

"If you're not playing well you don't deserve to be there."

After the embarrassment of the game-two capitulation, Wednesday night's resilient effort at least offered NSW fans hope for the future - much like they did 12 months ago when the Blues thought they had discovered Queensland's kryptonite with their dead-rubber triumph.

"I'm in the same spot I was last year," said utility Kurt Gidley, who lost the Blues captaincy for the series finale.

"After a win in game three last year we were saying we were looking towards the future.

"Certainly there were a lot of positives to come out of (the game) and we probably played our best game out of the three games, but it is frustrating and disappointing not to get a win."

For all his disappointment, Gidley was one who stamped himself as one to stick with in 2011, after he helped turn the game when brought on at dummy half after 20 minutes.

Others who proved they belonged in sky blue included Greg Bird, Jarryd Hayne, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Paul Gallen and Mitchell Pearce.

But such is the difficulty in showing faith with players for a game which won't be played for another 10 months that no one is taking anything for granted.

"I've just got to concentrate on what I can do at Newcastle this week and the rest of the year," said Gidley, who could also re-inherit the captaincy with Trent Barrett unlikely to go around again.

"I'm not even looking to next year at the moment."

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