Billy Slater has decided to shake things up in the Queensland camp following their loss in the State of Origin opener last month.
The Maroons coach opted to axe Daly Cherry-Evans in a headline-grabbing move which saw DCE become the first QLD captain to be dropped mid-series in almost 30 years.
However, that isn’t the only change Slater has made, with several alterations also occurring in his backline and in the forward pack.
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Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has played his entire Origin career in the centres to date but will line up on the wing in Perth. Valentine Holmes will be the man to switch with the Dolphins cult hero.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Nanai and Patrick Carrigan were two of the state’s best during the Game I defeat.
Yet they have been moved back to the bench to accommodate the recall of Kurt Capewell on an edge and the promotion of Trent Loiero to lock, respectively.
Those two changes, in particular, have caused raised eyebrows in the New South Wales camp.
"Surely Nanai’s not on the bench and surely Patty’s not on the bench," Blues backrower Angus Crichton said.
"I think they’re trying to play mind games with us by naming those guys there."
Nanai played the full 80 minutes at Suncorp Stadium and despite only having six carries for 48 run metres, he was often one of QLD’s main proponents in attack.
He was an aerial threat DCE and Cameron Munster repeatedly tried to draw upon in Game I, while he also worked tirelessly in defence to finish with 35 tackles.
"He was one of their best last game so they might be trying to play mind games but we’re more focused on ourselves," Crichton stated.
"Jeremiah was a point of difference for them on the kick chase and some of his D was good."
Meanwhile, Carrigan typically led his side from the front as he finished with a game-high 53 tackles to go with his 139 run metres.
"Paddy, he’s won the Wally Lewis Medal before, so it goes without saying [why he should start]," Crichton said.
One theory behind Slater moving Carrigan to the bench could be the plan of him being tasked with going after Spencer Leniu.
The Blues enforcer has often provided a violent spark off the pine and was controversially avoided by the Maroons during their kick restart in Game I.
Carrigan featured for 71 minutes of the contest and while his work-rate and effort can’t be questioned, he did finish with seven missed tackles. Only Munster missed more.
The Maroons may be looking to cut back the Brisbane star’s game-time slightly to avoid him tiring out in the middle, while also hoping to counter-act some of the punch the Blues' interchange forwards are anticipated to provide.
However, Slater's plan could backfire spectacularly if QLD gets off to a slow start once again in Perth, with his under-siege side possibly put behind the eight-ball by the opposition's imposing starting pack before Carrigan and co. enter into the fray.
"I just can’t see Patty or Jeremiah not starting," Crichton added.