Tedesco looks to Cameron Smith for inspiration in Origin II

The man that terrorised NSW for years will now provide the Blues with much needed inspiration heading into game two. Cameron Smith was the linchpin to Queensland's dominance which saw the Maroons capture 11 out of 12 series wins from 2006-2017, and NSW captain James Tedesco concedes if his side is to level the series, he will need to emulate the Queensland great's penchant for "ref whispering" in order to keep the Blues on level footing with the match officials. Tedesco told The Sydney Morning Herald, NSW must create its own opportunities to get fast play-the-balls but communicating with the ref is also crucial in trying to swing the match their way. "I definitely didn't think about talking to the refs before I became a captain," Tedesco said. "Everyone knows Cam Smith was so good at it; he had a knack for picking the right time and talking to the refs in the right way. It did feel like he could influence the referee. "I think I might have to. [Klein] didn't give a penalty for 60 minutes [in Origin I]. He was just letting the game flow, but you can't just let them lay all over you.