Newcastle coach Nathan Brown believes Mitchell Pearce is the man to revive NSW's State of Origin fortunes - but only if the maligned playmaker is given a full licence to drive the Blues on his terms.
Brown issued his challenge to NSW coach Brad Fittler after Pearce guided Newcastle to a hoodoo-busting first win over South Sydney in eight years and 10 matches to continue their stunning NRL resurgence.
Man of the match in all six matches of Newcastle's longest winning streak since 2005 when Andrew Johns was calling the shots, Brown believes Pearce has strong claims for a dramatic Origin recall.
"If they want a dominate half, I would suggest that Pearcey would be the person you'd want - but only if you let him be a dominant half," Brown said after the Knights' 20-12 win at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.
"I look at Mitch as a player who has to do play on play. If your style of footy is go and stand on one side of the field and not double up on plays, they may as well let Pearcey sit in the lounge room.
"If they want a partner who is going to dominate the ball and then say 'feed Cody Walker', I'd say Pearcey's your man."
Brown dubbed Walker an unfair scapegoat for NSW's series-opening 18-14 loss to Queensland on Wednesday night.
Fittler hooked the Blues' debutant five-eighth midway through the second half before bringing Walker back on in the closing minutes as the Blues desperately chased points at Suncorp Stadium.
Early talk is that if Fittler makes any changes for game two, he will drop Walker and spare halfback Nathan Cleary.
"Cody Walker's been a bit harshly dealt with, if I'm being truthful with you," Brown said.
"He did create a try and a couple of line breaks in a side that didn't create many line breaks and many tries.
"So I thought he's been a bit stiff, the way people have talked about him. Origin's a tough business, giving blokes one game and giving them a hard time is probably a bit tough on them, I reckon.
"In my opinion, they've got two five-eighths playing. I think young Nathan, at this stage of his career, is more like a five-eighth than a halfback.
"That's just my opinion, I might be wrong. And two five-eighths can work together, if that's what you want."
