Cook shapes as key to unlock Blues' pace

NSW's speed out wide has fans on the edge of their seats heading into State of Origin, but it could be the threat of zippy hooker Damien Cook that unlocks it.

Damien Cook

Damien Cook is ready to dictate the pace of the NSW side in Origin I against Queensland. (AAP)

He wouldn't rate a mention in a race of the NSW sprinters, but hooker Damien Cook's pace out of dummy-half shapes as the key to unlocking the Blues' strike weapon of speed.

James Roberts, Josh Addo-Carr, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell or James Tedesco are all players who can turn it on when they need to with a mix of pure pace and agility.

But historically the Blues have had an inability to find space, highlighted by the fact they haven't score more than 50 points in any of the past six series.

However, five-eighth James Maloney insists that ahead of Wednesday night's Origin opener at the MCG, they have pace across the park and out of dummy-half through Cook.

"The advantage we've got with someone like Damien Cook at hooker is they (Queensland) can't get too loose (in defence) or Cooky will just run," Maloney said.

"He's so dynamic out of there.

"And if they get too tight we can just move the ball.

"It's not going to happen all the time but. It's Origin, there are times where you've got to roll the sleeves up and take the medicine out of your own end.

"But when we can we would like to find those guys in a bit of space."

Cook leads all hookers across the NRL this year for runs, run metres, tackle busts and linebreaks. He's also scored three tries and set up four linebreaks, the equal-most of any No.9.

The Blues' back five also have more than just pace.

Addo-Carr leads the competition with 12 tries, while each of the five plus Tyrone Peachey are among the top 15 leading tackle busters in the NRL across all positions.

"You know when you play those guys in a club game how dangerous they are," Maloney said.

"And you would think when everyone gets a bit more tired in an Origin game they can light things up."

Maloney also knows this is his best chance to win his first series in his fifth attempt following Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk's retirements.

"Everyone understands there's no better opportunity we've had in recent times with some of the guys Queensland are missing," he said.


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Source: AAP



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