Lock him in: Trent Merrin's workrate, passion and ability are on show day in, day out at Penrith. Credit:Getty Images "If I could use one word to describe the overriding view I have of NSW State of Origin campaigns over the past decade, I would say, 'selfishness'. Yes, selfishness has been the biggest factor standing in the way of NSW matching Queensland for the past 10 years. This one trait has been so evident, on so many levels in and around this team for so long, it's hard to remember the last time things were different. "I can just see those close to the Queensland camp with knowing smiles on their faces right now as they read this passage. They see the selfishness in the NSW Origin campaigns every year. I'm sure they laugh at it. They feed off it. They never talk about it because they don't want it to ever end. Whatever the opposite of selfishness is, well, Queensland pride themselves on it. It's their secret weapon." That's what I wrote after game III last year. And I meant every word. I had assumed that would be my last column on State of Origin. After such a frank and honest assessment of the NSW Origin campaigns of recent times, I was sure I would never again be asked to talk about this subject. At least I hoped as much.

Benchmark: Johnathan Thurston embodied all the qualities NSW must strive for in his match-winning display against Brisbane on Friday night. Credit:Getty Images If recent newspaper reports are to be believed, it appears we will see some fresh new faces in the NSW squad for this year's series. That's good to see. I wish the lads well. However, it will mean nothing if we burden these new faces with the same old tired leadership culture that has plagued NSW Origin campaigns for the past decade. I feel compelled to make one last desperate, yet passionate, plea to NSW selectors regarding this year's State of Origin team: select Trent Merrin as your lock. Not only do you need to pick Merrin, if you have any idea about what our side really needs for the next five years, then please make him captain of our Origin team. My greatest fear for NSW is that if we head into this year's series with the same old tired leadership group that has contributed so significantly to NSW's deplorable record in State of Origin during the past decade, then we are doomed to repeat the embarrassing failures.

In case you've been living on another planet and haven't been keeping up with the latest win-loss tally between the two states, Queensland has won nine of the last 10 State of Origin series. The one series our NSW team did win during this decade of decay, we nearly blew that one, too. Last year, we headed into a game III decider and produced the most embarrassing display by a NSW team in Origin history. We were humbled, embarrassed, humiliated and disgraced, 52-6. Anyway, back to Merrin.

People may well look at this as bias because Trent plays for the Panthers and was our major purchase for season 2016. Get your heads past that rubbish, because it's the very fact I have come to know this young man through my experiences with him at the Panthers that allows me to speak with some authority on his credentials as a player, but more importantly as a leader. Trent has been the Panthers' best player this season. He is a totally unselfish player; a team man. He plays for his teammates and his coach. His work rate is phenomenal. It's real, too. Not a manufactured one to fool Fantasy League statisticians who simply see run counts and tackle counts as the sign of a valuable player. Trent rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck into the real stuff; productive work that actually contributes to the overall team performance. Having observed Trent around our club, his respect for staff, his communication skills, his care for younger players in our club and his unbridled passion for playing well and winning, I have no doubt he is exactly the leader NSW needs to nurture through the young crop of outstanding footballers NSW can produce over the next few seasons.

Merrin has the humility that we find in all great leaders. He also has a steely resolve and burning passion to be successful. He respects the power of the team and how individuals perform at their best when committed to a team environment. Years ago, when I was first awarded the honour of coaching a NSW Origin campaign, we opted for a young captain who was not the captain of his club team, nor had he ever really been the captain of any team in which he had played up to that point. We wanted fresh leadership. We wanted to break ties with a losing past and produce a real leader, a winner. We needed someone who valued excellence, someone who inspired with his actions and selfless nature. Around such a leader we could build a team of young men, who would fight for each other in the common cause. That young man was Laurie Daley. Despite never captaining a team before, Laurie became one of the great leaders in Origin history. He inspired our next great leader, Brad Fittler. From there we moved to Andrew Johns. He inspired our next leader in Danny Buderus. If you want an example of what selfless leadership really looks like, if you want an example of what makes a player a champion and why Queensland has built such a wonderful culture during the past 10 years, or dare I say 36 years, then all you need do is revisit Friday night's effort by the great Johnathan Thurston and three key moments from his performance:

Lesson number 1 Midway through the second half the Cowboys were down 18-6 and struggling. The ball is thrown to Thurston on fifth tackle about 40metres out from the Brisbane tryline. Thurston could simply put up a bomb and ask his wingers to chase in the hope they come up with a miracle grab. That's the easy way. He could put through a little chip kick for himself and hope that he got the right bounce. This would give the crowd the impression he was trying everything he could to get a win. But he did it the tough way, the leadership way, taking the option that inspires your teammates with your efforts. Thurston punched the ball low and deep towards the in-goal area. He chased his own kick with furious intent and when Brisbane winger Jordan Kahu fielded the rolling ballon his own tryline he was immediately smashed by the kicker himself, Thurston. That moment will not be spoken about by commentators as one of the great moments in the game, butit was the selfless effort by their leader that suddenly sparked the other Cowboy players into action.

Lesson number 2 In the 58th minute, again on the fifth tackle, Thurston is thrown the ball, this time 10 metres out from the Brisbane line, on the right side of the play the ball. Thurston could have taken it on himself to dink a little cross kick into the corner. Predictable play. But Thurston knows he doesn't always have to be the hero in this team. He looks right, before swivelling back and throwing a long pass to his fullback Lachlan Coote on the other side of the field. Here you go, young man, your turn. Coote, feeling empowered by his skipper, backs his ability with a little grubber and regather to score a vital try for his team.

Selflessness. Inspire. Trust. Belief in your teammates. The final lesson In the 75th minute, with the scores now locked at 18-18, the Cowboys are heading towards field goal territory. Thurston grabs the ball on tackle four and wants to gain every inch out of this play to get himself in perfect position for a field goal attempt on the last play. He heads into the Brisbane defensive line before unloading theball, only to be hit late in theribs by a Brisbane defender. Thurston is clearly hurt by the tackle. He has two options here. The first option would be to lie down in a screaming heap, screaming to the referee and linesmen, playing on his name and reputation to draw a penalty and perhaps a shot at goal to win the game. That's also the weak option. The selfish option. The true leadership option, the tough option, the selfless option, isto drag himself to his feet, get back in position, call for the ball and kick the winning field goal.

You saw it for yourself. Thurston didn't hesitate. He took option two. He took the referee out of the equation. He took on the responsibility of winning the game for his team. That's selflessness. That's leadership. That's what makes Queensland great. Trent Merrin might not be Johnathan Thurston, but he has the attributes to be our next real NSW leader. We need to break ties with the past and get on with the future right now. The sooner we entrust him with the future of our Origin culture, the better we will be. Phil Gould is the executive general manager of football, Penrith Panthers