Queensland skipper Ali Brigginshaw has turned to NASA-inspired technology in a desperate bid to be fit for Friday's Women's State of Origin showdown at North Sydney Oval.
The Maroons playmaker is racing the clock after suffering a sprained ankle during the side's final training run in Queensland on Wednesday before they shifted base to Sydney.
She ran the show during Thursday's captain's run but a final call won't be made on her availability until game day, with the Queenslanders desperate to reclaim the shield from NSW after three years of heartbreak.
The 29-year-old underwent three physio sessions on Thursday just to enable her to take part in the side's final training run.
She has also been hooked up to "Game Ready System", a cold therapy device which she has carried around and even used as she slept.
The makers of the system claim on their website they used NASA space suit technology in its development, and Brigginshaw was hopeful it'd be the extra edge that gets her over the line.
Maroons vice-captain and hooker Brittany Breayley was certain her Brisbane Broncos and Australian teammate would run out, declaring: "She's tough, she'll play."
NSW skipper Kezie Apps, meanwhile, declared it was just another case of Queensland mind games.
"Of course she will (play)," Apps said.
"She won't let an ankle injury stop her. She'd probably play if it was broken.
"It's probably not even an ankle injury, she's probably just making us think that. We're not worried."
The Blues have four debutants in their side, with fullback Sam Bremner, livewire Nakia Davis-Welch and Taleena Simon missing because of pregnancy or motherhood duties.
The Maroons have named four debutants in their squad in Jessika Elliston, Amber Pilley, Stephanie Mooka and Elle Stitt.
Queensland won the first 16 straight interstate fixtures before NSW wrestled back control in recent years.
After a draw in 2015, the Blues have won the last three interstate clashes including last year's 16-10 triumph, the first to be rebranded as an Origin match.
"We've come out hungrier than ever. It hurts losing to NSW. There was only six points in it and I think it's going to be just as close this year," Breayley said.
