NSW hooker Reece Robson hopes to prove his doubters wrong if called upon for another marathon effort in the State of Origin decider.
Eyebrows were raised when coach Laurie Daley kept Robson on for the entirety of the Blues' big game-two loss, which finished with the 28-year-old running the footy only twice for 15 metres.
The Blues left four-time Origin player Api Koroisau unused on the bench, despite their success deploying Blayke Brailey as a back-up hooker in the series opener.
In the wash-up from the game, Sydney Roosters hooker Robson faced criticism for struggling to spark the Blues' attack.
"People can have opinions, but you've just got to only listen to the one of yourself," Robson said.
"I'm happy with where I'm at in my game. I'm looking forward to getting there on Wednesday night and hopefully proving them wrong."
In the fast-paced set-restart era, few positions are more physically taxing than hooker.
"Definitely when you're on the back foot a little bit like we were in that second half, doing a lot of defence, it wasn't an easy job out there," Robson said.
NSW have lost the past seven games when their starting hooker has played the full 80 minutes, last winning in those circumstances in 2019.
They have won four of six games that Robson has started at hooker but played fewer than 80 minutes.
Cronulla co-captain Brailey, excellent on debut in game one, returns to the bench after a speedy recovery from the broken arm that sidelined him from Origin II.
But Robson will not shy away from the challenge if called upon for another 80-minute effort.
"It is the toughest arena in the game. To be able to go out there and play 80 minutes in that arena is definitely something I don't take lightly," he said.
"It's definitely something I'm pretty proud of myself to be able to do. If that comes, I'll be ready for it."
