League: Campese stoked to make NSW Origin side

Canberra's Terry Campese won the race for the NSW five-eighth's jersey. Photo / Getty Images

NSW State of Origin coach Craig Bellamy is confident his inexperienced Blues line-up has got what it takes to stop Queensland claiming an unprecedented fourth successive series win.

NSW selectors last night named eight new faces in a fresh-looking side to face the Maroons in the series opener at Etihad Stadium on June 3.

There were few surprises with the most hotly-contested jersey, five eighth, going to Canberra's Terry Campese, who was preferred to Newcastle's Jarrod Mullen and Penrith's Luke Lewis.

"It's unbelievable," Campese, 24, told AAP.

"It is the best game of rugby league there is and to be selected in the side, there's no better feeling."

Newcastle's Kurt Gidley was named as fullback and captain while Penrith flyer Michael Jennings, Newcastle winger James McManus and St George Illawarra forward trio Ben Creagh, Justin Poore and Michael Weyman were all given debut call-ups.

Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah edged out Michael Ennis for his first Origin call up.

South Sydney utility Craig Wing earned a representative return after being named on the bench in place of Lewis, who was named 18th man.

Bellamy admitted the selectors had to take some risks if they were any chance of ending Queensland's reign of dominance.

"It is a team low on Origin experience but we want a team to get the job done and there are some guys in there for specific reasons and I am really excited about this side, " he said.

"All of those guys have been in really good form and hopefully they can get the job done, it is a really exciting time for us."

Lewis was named 18th man but Bellamy said the Panthers star would come into the side if Test backrower Glenn Stewart, also in line for his NSW debut, failed to beat a dangerous throw charge at the NRL judiciary on Wednesday.

Lock Paul Gallen is also reportedly in doubt for the match with a shoulder injury suffered in the Sharks loss to St George Illawarra on Saturday.

Among the most controversial omissions were Test forwards Anthony Laffranchi and Anthony Watmough, but they could come back into contention if both Stewart and Gallen are ruled out.

Selector Bob McCarthy admitted it had been a tough call to leave them out.

"It was a tough choice, four weeks ago they were in the Australia side but everyone in this team is in form," McCarthy said.

"We think these guys are in form and there are at least 10 good backrowers - there's a lot of toughness in that backrow and a lot of strike.

McCarthy also said Farah was given the nod over Ennis because of his better all-round football ability.

"They are two different kind of footballers Robbie has a bit of football coming from dummy half whereas Ennis is a kind of Danny Buderus type - tough, made for State of Origin," he said.

Bellamy said he hoped Queensland may look at the inclusion of the exciting Jennings and in-form Jamie Lyon and Jarryd Hayne in his backline with some concern.

"We all know how strong Queensland's backline we've got to find ways to combat that but some of our players like Hayne, young Jennings and Jamie Lyon might give the Queensland backline something to worry about," he said.

A delighted Jennings said he couldn't wait to face the Maroons' star-studded backline.

"It's going to be a big challenge to take on those guys but we've got a really talented backlines ourselves," Jennings said.

Campese believed the inexperience of the side could even work in its favour.

"There are eight debutants so everyone will be very excited and there's a lot of young blokes there too, so there will be heaps of enthusiasm," Campese said.

The Blues suffered a slight scare when Gidley injured his knee in the Knights' 36-10 loss to North Queensland on Monday night, but the skipper played down the problem.

Queensland will name their squad later today.

NSW: Kurt Gidley (capt), Jarryd Hayne, Jamie Lyon, Michael Jennings, James McManus, Terry Campese, Peter Wallace, Brent Kite, Robbie Farah, Luke Bailey, Ben Creagh, Luke O'Donnell, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Craig Wing, Justin Poore, Glenn Stewart, Michael Weyman.

- AAP