If Robbie Farah becomes the first NSW skipper to oversee a series victory in eight years on Wednesday night, he will call Paul Gallen on to the stage to help him hold aloft the State of Origin shield.

Farah will have the ''c'' next to his name after Gallen selflessly stood himself down, knowing his foot injury wouldn't allow him to give his best effort. The Wests Tigers hooker was still coming to terms with the honour of leading the side on to ANZ Stadium when he returned to the Blues camp on Saturday night, but dared to dream about lifting the shield. If the Blues are victorious, he won't be holding it alone.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be in this situation but now that I am I want to make the most of it": NSW stand-in captain Robbie Farah. Credit:Jenny Evans

''It's what dreams are made of,'' Farah said.

''It was something that went through my mind yesterday and I had to snap myself out of it and try not to think about it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be in this situation but now that I am I want to make the most of it.