Blues not ready for Cauldon: Thurston

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JOHNATHAN Thurston has warned NSW scrumbase rivals Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson no amount of club football can prepare them for an Origin baptism at Suncorp Stadium.

Queensland skipper Cameron Smith revealed on Monday how pressuring the Blues' debutant halves would be a key plank in their blueprint for success in Origin I.

Reynolds and Hodkinson have been outstanding for the Bulldogs, but their nerves will be tested confronting the hostility of 50,000 Maroons fans in the code's toughest arena.

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Maroons playmaking great Darren Lockyer says Origin debuts are all about "survival''.

GALLEN LAUGHS OFF WALLY'S OUTRAGE

While acknowledging the pair's club form and self-belief, Thurston insists Reynolds and Hodkinson will not understand the intensity of Origin until they are in the thick of it.

"It's going to be tough for them, no doubt about that,'' said Thurston, who will play his 28th consecutive Origin game on Wednesday.

Thurston has warned the Blues that club form doesn't equate to Origin quality. Source: Getty Images

"They are playing some really good football at the Dogs, but in saying that, State of Origin is a whole new ball game.

"We need to pressure them. They are confident in their ability so they probably won't be nervous, they will be looking forward to the challenge.

"But Origin ... it's a different level and they will come to see on Wednesday night what it's like.''

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Since Queensland's winning streak began in 2006, the Blues have experimented with 17 playmakers to break the Maroons' Origin stranglehold.

ORIGIN HATRED LIVES ON: SMITH

Five players — Mark Gasnier, Jarrod Mullen, Craig Gower, Jamie Lyon and Terry Campese — played just one game at the NSW scrumbase.

Reynolds and Hodkinson plan to avert becoming one-hit wonders, but Smith says the duo will not get a minute's respite.

The Blues are hoping to capture Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds's Bulldogs form. Source: News Corp Australia

"It's a big jump (from club football) — it's faster,'' he said.

"It's more physical for the entire 80 minutes, it's not a case of sort each other out the first 20 (minutes) and then it dies off a bit.

"It's flat out from the first whistle to the last whistle.''

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Smith said Queensland's experienced halves pairing of Thurston and Cooper Cronk gave the Maroons an edge over the rookie Blues shot-callers.

"It could be a difference but at the end of the day, it's up to us to try and minimise what they (Reynolds and Hodkinson) do in the game,'' Smith said.

"Hodkinson is coming to his first match so that's an opportunity for us to test him out and see how he handles it.

"Reynolds is quite an X-factor, he plays with a lot of energy and Hodkinson is a guy that steadies the ship.

"He doesn't get flustered at all, so we need to try and apply pressure to them as a team.''

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