Blues legend Glenn Lazarus believes NSW captain Paul Gallen may have revolutionised front-row play with his heroic display in State of Origin II.

Coach Ricky Stuart's gamble to play Gallen in the front-row for the first time paid off in inspirational fashion with the skipper becoming the first NSW prop since Lazarus in 1996 to spend all 80 minutes on the park.

And he was mighty for every one of those 80 minutes.

The Cronulla warhorse trucked the ball an amazing 211 metres in 27 carries and effected 31 tackles to lead the Blues to their series-levelling 18-8 triumph at ANZ Stadium.

According to NRL Stats, his 211m was only one metre short of the combined output from Queensland's vaunted prop trio of Petero Civoniceva (63m), Matt Scott (94m) and Ben Hannant (55m).

"For a front-rower to play 80 minutes these days in Origin, with the way it is played at such a frenetic pace, is unheard of," Lazarus told AAP.

"I just think being the captain, leading by example and all that sort of thing, he set a very high standard in the way he played."

Gallen's phenomenal performance was unprecedented in that when Lazarus played the full 80 minutes 15 years ago coaches had the luxury of unlimited substitutions.

Now coaches must carefully plan their 10 interchanges and having the option of playing ironman Gallen all game allows the other Blues front-rowers much-appreciated breathers.

"There wasn't a period there where we even thought, 'Oh, we better get him off'. He just kept coming and coming," Lazarus marvelled.

"It's an absolute tribute to the man the way he played.

"It's got to be right up there with the best performances ever."

Stuart lauded Gallen as equal in value to the Blues as superstar backs Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston are to the Maroons.

"Everybody laughed at me when I picked him at front row," the feisty coach said.

"There is only one other player who has played 80 minutes of Origin football in the front row - that was Glenn Lazarus, and he was the best front-rower ever to play the game of rugby league.

"Paul Gallen has equalled that. Eighty minutes playing front row, in that intensity, at that high speed and style of football is freakish.

"That is the level of a Slater, a Thurston, a Lockyer a Cameron Smith."

Lazarus couldn't disagree.

"It's a performance that fans mightn't have noticed. They notice all the lairy backs, but for a guy to play such a physical game and continually cart that ball up and make tackles is an absolute tribute to the guy," he said.

"He's the consummate professional and I think he's a wonderful choice as captain too."

Gallen modestly deflected the praise.

"I don't have freakish ability. I just think if I work hard, I can do things on the field and that's where my strength lies," he said.

"I know in my head when I get out there, I can push through anything."

NSW's three-tries-to-one victory set up a series decider at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on July 6.

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