Former NSW coach Craig Bellamy says he'd pick Nicho Hynes "every day of the week" to wear the Blues' No.7 jersey in the second State of Origin clash.
Bellamy watched his Melbourne side dismantle Hynes' Cronulla 54-10 in their Sunday NRL clash at AAMI Park, with the playmaker delivering his worst match of the season with a number of errors.
But the coach said Hynes couldn't be blamed for the Sharks' failings across the park and that he'd done enough over the past two seasons to earn his start in the absence of injured star Nathan Cleary.
"His team got beat by a pretty big score today and that wasn't all Nicho," Bellamy said at the post-match press conference.
"I don't understand - he won the Dally M last year, he was on the bench for NSW last game only come on for five or six minutes.
"With Nathan out I'd be picking him every day of the week.
"I think he's done enough over the last 18 months to prove that he's an Origin player and the next halfback for NSW."
Melbourne captain Christian Welch, who was 19th man for Queensland in their opening Origin win, also made an unprompted plea for NSW coach Brad Fittler to consider Hynes again.
Brisbane veteran Adam Reynolds and Parramatta half Mitchell Moses have leapt into favouritism ahead of Hynes for the role.
"You look at Cronulla's rise, particularly last year, he's a great person and a great game manager," Welch said of his former Storm teammate, who made his Origin debut in Adelaide.
"I think he's like-for-like for Cleary and a big reason why Cronulla have done so well.
"I really hope he gets picked - you can't judge him on that last game when he came on and played in the centres.
"Full preparation where he gets to own the team, I hope he picks him."
