Greatness beckons Blues

HE’S the NSW great in charge of what could be one of the greatest Blues teams in history.

That’s how highly NSW coach Brad Fittler will consider his inexperienced Blues should they complete a rare State of Origin clean sweep today.

Only seven teams have claimed a 3-0 whitewash since the three-game Origin series began in 1982.

The last time the feat was achieved was by Queensland eight years ago with a side that featured champions Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer, Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith.

The last time NSW won all three games was in 2000, with a team including Andrew Johns, Ryan Girdler, Geoff Toovey and Fittler himself.

Now, with arguably the greenest team in the Origin books, Fittler believes his Blues rookies deserve to be mentioned in the same breath should they win at Suncorp Stadium.

“Only two teams in the last 21 years have done it. So there’s a fair carrot there. Some great teams. Only great teams get to do it, so this team gets an opportunity,” he said yesterday.

Asked if his team would rank among Origin’s best with a win, Fittler said: “In my eyes, [yes].

“They don’t come easy. Through that whole reign of Queensland, they did it once. So it just says it’s not easy to do for whatever reason.

“There’s some real big challenges mentally to get over the top of, and physically. If [NSW] can do that, for a lot of blokes who are playing Origin for their first time, it’d be pretty impressive.”

The Blues finalised their preparations with a captain’s run at Suncorp Stadium yesterday afternoon, with Fittler adamant his team’s intensity hadn’t dropped during the entire camp.

But he said the evidence would be in their performance.

“I suppose there’s a little bit of doubt there,” Fittler said yesterday.

“You wonder how it’s all going to come out. But the effort’s been the same if not better, just because they know each other and know how to push each other now.”

NSW legend Tommy Raudonikis, who coached the Blues to series wins in 1997-98, presented players with their jerseys on Monday night. Raudonikis was only last month cleared of a cancer in his throat.

“We had a phone call when we were in Melbourne before the game. That was the day he got the all-clear from his doctor. He had a tumour cut out of his neck,” Fittler said.

“It was wonderful to have him here. He couldn’t help himself, got a bit excited. It was good. He’s a real character and very passionate about State of Origin.”