NSW coach Ricky Stuart has revealed debutant playmaker Jamie Soward's big contribution to the Blues' planning for State of Origin I against Queensland on Wednesday night.

Soward has achieved a remarkable turnaround in the estimation of Stuart, the former Sydney Roosters mentor who all but wrote him off when he was emerging at that NRL club.

The St George-Illawarra playmaker will finally fulfill his dream of playing Origin football at Suncorp Stadium following his key role in the Dragons' premiership last year.

Installed as the Blues' first fulltime coach, Stuart got the players he wanted and showed his confidence in Soward by handing him the chance to steer an NSW fightback.

But the NSW boss went further at the side's final training session on Tuesday, describing Soward's leadership role as crucial.

"He's actually helped me," Stuart said of the 26-year-old.

"At training I sit down and talk to him about the game.

"I haven't talked to him about being a debutant.

"He's helped me construct the whole week."

Soward's role as the link man among seven Dragons in the Blues 17 will be key, as will his long kicking game.

The right edge of Wayne Bennett's side has been kept intact by Stuart, with Soward alongside centre Mark Gasnier and backrower Beau Scott.

Stuart credited the Dragons' influence for his

side coming together faster than any representative side he's previously worked with.

"I think that helps," Stuart said.

"Outside them being in good form ... it has helped creating that spirit, because under adversity and under fatigue you need mateship to get you through it and that's what we've got.

"They're as close as an NRL team."

The table-topping Dragons' presence may be strong but the Blues will take five debutants into the clash, while seven of their starting 13 come from clubs currently outside the NRL top eight.

Fullback Josh Dugan (Canberra), centre Michael Jennings (Penrith), winger Akuila Uate (Newcastle), halfback Mitchell Pearce (Sydney Roosters), forwards Kade Snowden and Paul Gallen (both Cronulla) and backrower Greg Bird (Gold Coast) were all selected from the bottom end of the league.

If that's an early indication of Stuart's intention to emulate Queensland's famed loyalty, he was giving no guarantees on Tuesday that he would stick by a squad missing proven Origin performer Jarryd Hayne.

"Every one of those blokes knows that that's my team that I picked and there's a genuine solidarity because of how we've acted and prepared in camp," he said.

"They know that I've got belief in them. That's the main thing.

"I don't have to come out and talk about belief (in players).

"We've got a pretty special bond there, a special culture."

Maroons coach Mal Meninga put his players on notice this week, a move that Stuart described as unusual.

"I am very surprised they've gone against the so-called Queensland Origin culture of sticking by their own," Stuart said.

"That surprised me but Mal's a smart coach and knows what he's doing."

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