NSW coach Phil Gould has warned several big-name players lacking match fitness must pull out something special in the NRL this weekend to make the Blues 17-man rugby league squad.

Test and Newcastle winger Timana Tahu has already been ruled out of the opening Origin clash with Queensland on May 26 because he's been sidelined since injuring his hamstring playing for Australia on April 23.

Tahu will be fit by Origin I but Gould and the selectors decided he needed more game time leading into the Telstra Stadium encounter after he was ruled out of Newcastle's NRL clash with Brisbane on Friday.

"I'm convinced I won't be playing (Origin I) but I'm just letting the selectors and trainers know that I'm 100 per cent and if I do get selected I'll be right," said Tahu at team medicals for the 30-man Blues squad.

Gould revealed Bulldogs goal-kicker Hazem El Masri and Penrith pair Luke Lewis and Amos Roberts, the NRL's leading try-scorer on 12, were in contention to replace Tahu.

A bevy of players are underdone because of injuries, with St George Illawarra captain Trent Barrett (hamstring) saying he'd withdraw from Origin contention if he struggled with match fitness against the Bulldogs on Saturday night in Wollongong.

"Those players that have been out injured for extended periods are going to have to show something this weekend that they're ready to play 80 minutes of football," said Gould.

"We can't be taking people into Origin to give us a good 10 or 15 minutes, that's not what Origin's all about.

"I don't want any player to feel pressured into playing Origin I or feel as though they're ... going to struggle with the pace of the game."

Barrett is under enormous pressure from Melbourne's Scott Hill to win the NSW five-eighth spot, while Cronulla skipper Brett Kimmorley will need a blinder against the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night to beat Craig Gower to the halfback role.

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