NSW coach Ricky Stuart is preaching selection stability despite damming statistics suggesting his engine room needs a complete overhaul ahead of State of Origin II.

The Blues' front row rotation was put to shame by Queensland props Matt Scott and Petero Civoniceva in Wednesday night's series opener, the Australian Test combination dominating in both defence and attack.

Scott's stunning 154 metres from 15 powerful runs eclipsed the combined contribution of all four NSW props - Jason King, Kade Snowden, Tim Mannah and Trent Merrin who produced a meek 144 metres over the 80 minutes.

Their effort only just shaded that of Civoniceva (143 metres), a remarkable statistic considering the Blues found themselves in front on the scoreboard with less that ten minutes remaining.

And it is that closeness on the scoreboard and the lessons of past campaigns that have Stuart confident he has the side to do the job, despite the mauling through the middle of the ruck.

"I just hope the 17 (from game one) are fit and available for selection come game two," Stuart said after arriving back in Sydney on Thursday.

"The little things, we've got to be better at, and when we've got a very new football team we can be better."

Asked about the performance of some of his more contentious selections, Stuart said:

"It wasn't controversial for me.

"That's why there was belief in the team from day one. I was happy with the footy team I picked."

Halfback Mitchell Pearce claimed that while Stuart had not given any player an assurance that he would be there for Origin II in just under three weeks' time, he didn't think there was a need for any player in the squad to feel under threat.

"We didn't really bring it up," Pearce said of game two selections.

"If that was even mentioned I don't think that would be the right thing - there shouldn't be any question about it.

"We played really well as a team and the way to improve is to have a look at the video in the next camp at a few areas where I think we can improve.

"We're not going to do anything by changing the side, I'm sure they'll keep the same side and there's a lot of belief there."

Mannah, who along with Snowden led the NSW props with 46 metres off the bench, claimed the vast difference in metres gained by the rival front rows had more to do with opportunity than being outplayed.

The Maroons camped themselves on the Blues line for long periods of the game, where they earned either a repeat set or had the visitors struggling to come off their own line.

"We just absorbed too much pressure and we didn't get much of a chance to hit back," Mannah said.

"When we finally did get that opportunity to score some tries we did and that's the positive we take out of it.

"We went through a lot of defensive work in the middle and it probably did have an effect on what we did with the ball."

While Stuart is keen to stick solid with his squad, he may be left with little choice with front row alternatives rather thin.

Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, overlooked for game one due to a fractured cheekbone, is seen as the most viable option, with King facing the biggest struggle to retain his spot after producing just four runs for 24 metres.

Canterbury workhorse Aiden Tolman - who leads the NRL this season with more than 145 metres per game - would have also come into contention save for a knee injury suffered while playing for the Bulldogs last week.

Winger Brett Morris' continued Origin drought and poor effort in gifting Jharal Yow Yeh a try will increase the push for Jarry Hayne to be given a run on the flank, while Kurt Gidley's return from a shoulder injury could see him come in at the expense of Dean Young.

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