DANNY Buderus has a simple message for Paul Gallen and his NSW Blues ahead of Wednesday’s Suncorp Stadium decider — get through the inevitable periods of adversity unscathed and you will go a long way towards setting up a memorable victory.

The last NSW Blues skipper to lift the Origin shield after winning a decider in Brisbane knows about these things.

He saw it first hand in 2005 with the series on the line.

media_camera NSW Blues team after winning the 2005 series. Pic David Clark

In front of a hostile, heaving crowd in Brisbane, his side was under the pump from the kick-off.

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“We knew they would get the crowd involved and try and blow us away from the opening whistle,” he said. “They battered us early but everyone had each other’s back that night. We defended our line like our lives depended on it.

“Looking back on it and what we achieved together in that game, it’s one of my proudest times in footy.

“It was pretty special.”

In a similar scenario to what Laurie Daley’s side faces tonight, the 2005 Blues went into that decider in enemy territory after losing the opening game of the series before drawing level by winning game two. While the return of Andrew Johns from injury in that second game turned the series on its ear, the great man himself says the opening 10-minute period in Brisbane is what defined the team.

“I don’t think we touched the ball in the first 10 minutes,” Johns said.

“Queensland had five or six repeat sets at us on our line and couldn’t crack us.

“ It deflated them and there was just so much belief among our boys after that.

“Mini (Anthony Minichiello) picked up a loose ball and made a big run and we put three tries on them quick smart. Sticky’s (coach Ricky Stuart) game plan worked to perfection.

“We cruised after that and put some points on them (the Blues

won 32-10).

“But it was won in those opening 10 minutes when we didn’t touch the ball.”

Prop Jason Ryles has no doubt Johns’ influence was a key factor.

“Joey coming back for game two of that series is my biggest memory of it,” he said.

“His first training session with us was the best ever session of my career and it was almost like we knew we weren’t going to get beat from there.”

media_camera Mark Gasnier scores a try during game three of the 2005 series.

Braith Anasta was also in awe of the future Immortal’s role.

“Joey was my hero, so to get to play alongside him when he was just so dominant was unbelievable,” Anasta said.

Centre Mark Gasnier looks back on a bonding night with former Blues greats as a pivotal moment that year.

“Sticky took us to this empty pub and invited a heap of ex-Blues players along,” he said.

“It was around that time in Origin when I started to realise what the Blues’ culture was all about.”

There was no Blues player more excited than three-try hero Matt King.

“To towel them up and score three tries — it was one of the best nights of my career by a long stretch,” King said.

2005 NSW BLUES:

Anthony Minichiello

“We had a really special group of guys who are all still mates to this day and going up there to win it made it even more special. The defensive effort to hold them out for five or six sets on our line early set it up. I remember picking up a loose ball and running 80 metres and getting run down by Matty Bowen when the lactic acid took hold. When we scored first after that, the confidence just grew.”

Matt King

“At that point in my life, that game was the coolest thing to ever happen to me. For Ricky Stuart to show the faith he did in me and for me to get to rub shoulders with the greats like Joey, Bedsy, Hindy and Andrew Ryan — special mate. Then to towel them up and score three tries, it was one of the best nights of my career by a long stretch.”

Mark Gasnier

“It was around that time in Origin that I started to really understand what the Blues’ culture was all about. You look back in hindsight and realise how good that team was. I remember going in at half-time in front in that decider after defending our line early and it just felt like we weren’t going to lose.”

Braith Anasta

“Joey was my hero so to get to play alongside him when he was just so dominant was unbelievable. He was sensational in both games and to go up there for the decider in front of a massive Queensland crowd and virtually take their fans out of it with our defence early was a pretty special feeling.”

Andrew Johns

“They ambushed us early and had us under all sorts of pressure in the decider. I don’t think we touched the ball in the first 10 minutes but we held firm. Then Mini picked up a loose ball and made that big run and we put three tries on them quick smart. It was a great feeling to win it, particularly up there. Sticky’s (coach Ricky Stuart) game plan was outstanding.”

Luke Bailey

“I never won a grand final so that was one of the best feelings I’ve had as a player. I was 25 playing alongside the greats. Joey and Mini were outstanding and it was massive winning up there as well.”

media_camera Anthony Minichiello shares a laugh with Andrew Johns after the Blues won the series. Pic David Clark

Danny Buderus

“It was one of my proudest times in footy. They battered us early up there but everyone had each other’s back that night. I remember the strange feeling of holding up the shield after the game to an almost empty stadium. No-one stayed around after we won.”

Jason Ryles

“Joey coming back for game two of that series is my biggest memory of it. His first training session with us was the best ever session of my career and it was almost like we knew we weren’t going to get beat from there.”

Craig Fitzgibbon

“The Andrew Johns return in game two — that was the highlight for me. He just put on a masterclass in both games. But it was a huge honour to play alongside all those guys. I felt privileged to be a part of it.”

Ben Kennedy

“I remember Ricky Stuart coming up to me after we lost the opening game in that series and asking my advice on whether he should pick Joey for the second game after he’d been out injured for so long. I just told him ‘you’ve got to mate, you won’t regret it’. He didn’t”

Steve Simpson

“We lost to an intercept try in golden point in the first game of the series up there and that left a bad taste but after we toughed it out early and they couldn’t score when they had us under the pump in the decider, I think deep down we all knew we were going to win.”

Craig Gower

“Great memories mate. To go up there and take it from underneath them was outstanding. Joey and Mini were fantastic but everyone played their part and Sticky (coach Ricky Stuart) had this great belief in us.”

Steve Menzies

“You feel lucky to be involved in those special games. Going up there to win it was really tough but we used their crowd as our motivation and we had some great players in the side so there was always a lot of confidence in what we could do.”

Andrew Ryan

“I was on the bench and I vividly remember warming up and their fans just leaning over the fence and abusing the crap out of us. We were up against it up there but there was just this air of confidence among everyone. We just didn’t get daunted by what we’d walked into.”

Nathan Hindmarsh

“They attacked our line early in the decider for set after set and there was not one moment there where I thought they we going to break us. I remember just getting more and more confident every time they came up with nothing. And holding the trophy up at the end — that was pretty special.”

Unavailable: Timana Tahu, Matt Cooper.