"Everyone knows how hectic Origin is and how intense it can be, and if you stay intense all week, it's a long week leading up [to the game]. You can spend all your energy thinking about the game and your job. When you come to training, we have to focus and train and do our footy stuff and put all our energy into that. But when it's over totally get away from it and spend time with each other."

Cordner is only 25 but feels like one of the veterans with so much fresh blood in Brad Fittler's team. The tough backrower was vice-captain to Smith when Australia won the World Cup at the end of last year, and Meninga would have no problems recommending him to the top job.

Inglis has done a remarkable job overcoming an ACL and his mental demons to shine for South Sydney and now be skipper of the Maroons.

"Boyd is a good person with a strong character, he communicates really well and he buys into the values system wherever he is,'' Meninga told Fairfax Media. "He loves the game and plays the game really well.

"We'll recommend someone and at the end of the day it's up to the [Australian Rugby League] commission to say 'yes' or 'no'. There's a process involved, it's an important position in our game, but you would think it will be either 'GI' or Boyd, and either way Australia will be in good hands."

While Inglis must guide Queensland without Cooper Cronk, Johnathan Thurston and Smith, Cordner has the challenge of leading such an inexperienced side that the last time a line-up had less games under their belt it was 1984 under captain Steve Mortimer - they won game three.

Mortimer recalled asking the bus to stop in the middle of Brisbane's Caxton St en route to the game and asking the rookies to absorb the atmosphere, and to go out and back themselves. He said Cordner, a bushie like him, would lead by example and in his role as captain had to simply stress the need for the rookies to believe in their talent and each other.