NSW dare Maroons to target Hayne

Target Jarryd Hayne all you like.

That's the message to Queensland from NSW coach Laurie Daley, who has dared the Maroons to single out the Gold Coast star in his return to the State of Origin arena after a three-year hiatus.

The last time Hayne pulled on a sky blue jumper he was NSW's co-winner of man of the series and the deciding factor in their 2014 drought-breaking series victory.

However when he runs out for Wednesday night's Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium, the Maroons are aiming to expose the two-time Dally M medal winner as a liability.

Queensland skipper Cameron Smith confirmed Hayne would be targeted at left centre after playing three club games there for the Titans and being exposed several times.

Daley laughed off the Maroons captain's suggestion their left side had defensive deficiencies.

"Have a crack at them. Have a crack at them," Daley said.

"I think they've got more concerns to worry about than us.

"(Hayne) is a big game player. He's a big game player."

Smith said Hayne would be tested in defence having spent most of his career at fullback.

"We might be going down that edge a bit," Smith said.

Smith admitted Hayne had impressed at centre at the 2013 World Cup but believed "a lot has changed" since.

"He went overseas and played a different game and came back," Smith said of the code hopper.

"I think he's only played the three or four matches at centre leading into this Origin."

Hayne, who has lost 12 of his 20 Origin matches, will line up against Queensland's Justin O'Neill.

Cowboys flyer O'Neill said he would pick the brain of Maroons teammate Will Chambers, who tormented Hayne barely three weeks ago in their Gold Coast-Melbourne NRL clash.

"There may be some errors there we can look to exploit and expose," O'Neill said.

Meanwhile, Hayne has a Wednesday deadline to activate a $1.2-million option in his Gold Coast contract that would keep him at the club for the 2018 season.