NSW have a plan to get at Queensland half Sam Walker defensively, but former Maroons assistant Josh Hannay insists the Sydney Rooster will be up for the challenge.
Hannay, now Gold Coast coach, took charge of the Titans in an opposed training session against the Maroons on Thursday morning at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Titans left edge back-rower Beau Fermor fulfilled the task of Blues second-rower Hudson Young by keeping the heat on Walker in preparation for the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 8.
According to murmurs out of the Blues camp, Young, who will play on Walker's side, had said the Queensland half was a hard man to target because he was well hidden defensively "on the wing".
Asked about the comment on NRL 360 on Wednesday night, Young said he would personally assume the task of denying Walker time and space.
“It’s really important,” he said.
“It’s my job as a back rower to do that but there’s many factors that go into just running at one player. I’ll take it personally to put a lot more pressure on him.”
Hannay was asked if Fermor would “be Young” in the opposed hitout.
“I think he would take offence to that,” Hannay quipped.
“We want to help prepare the Maroons today and give them some looks at what they will get on Wednesday night.
“We are not going to be out there trying to get at anyone and we want to make sure that they all come off the field safe and sound today, but we will be doing what we can to prepare them.”
Hannay insisted Walker, whose defence has been top notch for the Maroons and Sydney Roosters, would not be daunted by Young’s comments.
"Sammy has trained week-in and week-out at the Roosters doing opposed against Angus Crichton," Hannay said.
“He would have had exposure his whole career to big back-rowers running at him. Crichton is one of the best and has been for years. If (NSW) want to go down that path, Sammy will be ready for it.”
Walker has been a standout in both his Origin matches for the Maroons this series and was man of the match in the 44-24 win in game two at the MCG.
"He's been critical to Queensland's success in game one and two," Hannay said.
"I think it was a brave selection to put a guy on debut in the seven jersey for Queensland but he has done nothing but answer that challenge and has been one of Queensland's best.
“He will be buzzing. He wouldn't have played at Suncorp in the Queensland jersey. That is a different beast at Suncorp in a decider but we have seen from game one and two that Sammy is up for the big stage.”
