Boyd Cordner can etch his name into State of Origin folklore on Wednesday, as the first NSW player since 2004 to win the series in their maiden year as captain.
If the Blues are successful on home soil on Wednesday night, Cordner will join an exclusive list.
Fellow Taree product Danny Buderus is the most recent, while Geoff Toovey (1997), Laurie Daley (1992), Ben Elias (1990) and Wayne Pearce (1986) were also successful in their first attempts.
Boyd admitted on Monday the nerves were starting to kick in ahead of the potentially series-clinching clash, after he only became a co-captain at the Sydney Roosters this year.
"Obviously there's a lot more pressure being the captain of your state than the captain of your club," Cordner told Sky Sports Radio.
"Everything you say or do comes under a lot more scrutiny which I've learnt to live with."
Buderus, who was in Cordner's shoes after he won the first game in 2004, said it was important to ensure nothing changed from the series opener.
"He'd be excited, he'd be looking forward to getting into the same headspace as game one and not changing anything," Buderus told AAP.
"The way they prepared, trained for 10-15 minutes in the captain's run, that sounds like a confident leader and someone who knows the ability of his team."
Buderus has been particularly impressed with the early stages of Cordner's leadership.
At just 25, numerous NSW teammates have spoken about his lead-from-the-front approach in Blues camp in the past week.
Buderus said it was something he had already seen on the field.
"Boyd definitely does lead with his actions," Buderus said.
"Whenever someone needs to have a tough run he's the one to do it; or if anyone needs to come up with some sort of leadership, you can see with his actions he does it."
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