In losing Latrell Mitchell for the first game of the Origin series, the Blues won't just be without one of their best players, they'll be missing a key part of their deadliest weapon in the fight against Queensland.
Mitchell was superb through all three matches last year, second only to Wally Lewis Medal winner Tom Trbojevic in terms of impact across the Blues' 2-1 series win, but his individual heroics came as part of a Blues left edge that totally destroyed Queensland.
Of the 15 tries New South Wales scored last year, 13 came out wide. And of those 13 tries, seven came down the left edge. Mitchell was tremendous, but so were Jarome Luai, Tariq Sims and Brian To'o, both as individuals and as a combination.
With Jack Wighton slotting in at centre for Mitchell, the Blues will need to tweak things in order to make sure their new left side is just as dangerous.
According to Sims, an edge bonding away from the field is just as important as getting reps in at training.
"We're in each others' back pockets for 10 days," Sims said.
"You see the best and the worst of everyone, and through camp you might have a disagreement, but that can bring you even closer together.
"The Penrith boys have their connection — that comes easy for them — so we have to buy into what they're offering and learn off them.
"Learning is a huge part of an Origin camp. Every team is different, every camp is different, and it's about how you adjust to that which determines if you get the best out of your teammates.
"I thought we did that really well last year.
"How much are you willing to open up, learn and be vulnerable with the team? It's on us to help mould each other into what it takes to be an Origin player."
Sims, something of a surprise selection at second row last year, turned in a strong series as the straight man between Luai and Mitchell, with a spectacular pass for To'o to score in Origin I the highlight.
He and To'o already have experience playing alongside Wighton — the Raiders star slotted in at five-eighth for Game III last year and scored a try in NSW's two-point loss — and the Dragons backrower is confident the new combination can be a success, regardless of who fills the jersey.
"Above everything, we put our teammates and what's best for the team first," Sims said.
"The selfless acts that need to be done on top of the individual brilliance, sacrificing what you can for the team, doing what you need to and what you have to, going above and beyond for your teammate.
"As a group of men, we've been charged with the effort of going out there and putting together a good style, a good brand of rugby league, and using it to beat Queensland."
His athleticism as a runner and defender is his greatest strength as a footballer regardless of where he plays, and so long as Wighton plays with the same aggression and physicality Brad Fittler asks of all his charges, things can fall New South Wales' way.
While Wighton does not have Mitchell's skill as a passer or his tackle-breaking ability as a runner, he's no slouch in either department, and he'll also be tasked with helping To'o handle the aerial raid that is sure to come as Queensland look to exploit Xavier Coates's prodigious leaping ability.
What complicates matters slightly is while the former Dally M winner has played centre for the Blues before, in 2019-20, and that experience is why he got the nod over Penrith rookie Stephen Crichton, he hasn't played that position at club level since 2014.
For Luai, the way to get over any nerves or uncertainty is simple: Go as hard as you can, as early as you can. And if Wighton follows that example in his battle with Queensland veteran Dane Gagai, the Blues should be able to trouble the Maroons again.
"Start well, don't shy away from anything, get in the game early and take it head on. You don't know what's going to happen further down the track, so you have to make the most of every second in this jersey," Luai said.
"We have a great bond, a great chemistry, and that starts in camp. If we love each other's company, we can go out there and do what we do."
