Trent Hodkinson. Credit:Getty Images But the idea of a Pearce-Hodkinson pairing is gathering momentum by the day, regardless of what happened in the City-Country match in Wagga and despite only two rounds of club footy remaining before Daley names his side. Typically, Daley wants to remain loyal. He wants to stick with Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds. But something is clearly taking hold and that is the compulsion to win. The man-of-the-match performance for Country from Pearce's Roosters teammate James Maloney might've impressed others but it probably won't be enough. Maloney bumped into Daley at Wagga racecourse on Friday afternoon before the town's biggest race of the year, the Wagga Gold Cup. The coach didn't mention a syllable about Origin, nor offer a tip.

Daley has been telling others for some time that he is concerned about Maloney's weaknesses in defence. It's hardly breaking news for anyone who has a passing interest in the NRL. With Hodkinson and Pearce in his side, Daley would sleep far easier as both are solid defenders. Before the City-Country game, Daley had effectively declared that Reynolds' sky blue jumper was there to be lost, despite Reynolds' horrific form for the Dogs. Reynolds lost it all right. He lost the plot. He did the splits in an attempt to trip Country forward Tariq Sims and then launched a bizarre, jumping, kneeing tackle that led to him being placed on report for a shoulder charge. The Reynolds "brain snaps" dragged attention away from some quality plays; from the searching kicks down-field and his relentless chase, to his deft grubbers behind the line and into the Country in-goal to force line dropouts.

When Daley asked for Hodkinson and Pearce to be rested from the City-Country fixture, he had done so with the firm belief that he wanted to be loyal to those who had done the job the year before as the Blues ended Queensland's eight-year domination of the series. "I think we just need to chill and relax a bit at the moment," Daley told the crowd at the True Blues black-tie function when asked about the form of Hodkinson and, in particular, Reynolds. Since then, though, he has openly discussed the idea of Pearce playing five-eighth. Should Pearce earn a recall, it will be significant. It is almost a year since he was involved in the infamous "Girl in the Yellow Dress" incident in Kings Cross when he was overlooked for the NSW side after a boozy night out. He watched the Blues win the Origin series without him, then slowly but surely went about standing out for the Roosters, playing a leading hand as they went deep into the finals series, before losing to Souths in the preliminary final.

His form with the Roosters this year has been indifferent. Yet each time you see him away from footy, the look on his face tells the story. He is happy. That he isn't copping it in the neck for his form has been a welcome relief for a player who has been routinely crucified for much of his career. Most of that criticism has come after NSW losses. Pearce will have to live and breathe all the pressure and expectation again. Whether it comes with a No.7 or No.6 on the back of his jumper won't matter. Daley, too, must also be feeling the heat. With NSW hosting one match this series – the opener – he must get it right the first time.

NSW Rugby League suits have rightfully been beating their chests since last year's Origin series win against the Maroons. They see themselves as a strong, influential stakeholder in the game, and aren't afraid to flex their muscle in front of the NRL. When Daley and two assistant coaches went to the US on a recent study trip, it raised questions in head office about how much the exercise might've cost. NSW's new position of strength has been established on the back of an Origin series victory that so easily might not have been. It was that close. Whenever you speak to those intimately involved in the NSW campaign a common line is trotted out: How did Laurie win that Origin series? With the side at his disposal, with the attack proffered save for Jarryd Hayne, I don't know either. It was through heart and courage.