Dragons legend Matt Cooper says NSW's 2014 State of Origin breakthrough will count for little if the Blues can't back it up and retain the shield this year.

Cooper was a member of the last NSW team to win consecutive series in 2005.

He had made his Origin debut a year earlier and went on to represent the state 13 times during a 13-year rugby league career.

The Blues endured eight years of Queensland dominance before winning the first two games last year to break the drought and bring the silverware home.

They now face losing in straight sets if the Maroons win game two in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Cooper says NSW must win to avoid last year's victory being labelled a fluke.

"We need to win down there [in Melbourne] otherwise it's all over for us and everyone will just forget about last year," Cooper said.

"Winning the series last year was great but we need to back it up.

"Hopefully we can get the win in Melbourne then go up to Queensland and win it up there in their faces."

Cooper's words were delivered just hours after NSW skipper Paul Gallen unleashed an anti-Queensland rant at a media conference on Tuesday.

Gallen's comments have caused plenty of discussion on both sides of the border.

Cooper says all the pre-game banter is great for the promotion of Origin, particularly in Melbourne.

"It's great that players come out, they can share their thoughts on how they feel," he said.

"That just adds to the game.

"Because a lot of times you're restricted by your club or by whoever on what you can say in the media."

A Cooper Cronk field goal was all that separated the two states in Origin I last month, but the crafty No 7 is missing for the second game through injury.

On the other side of the coin, NSW welcomes back Gallen and classy winger Brett Morris.

Cooper believes Morris - his former teammate at St George Illawarra Dragons - could prove the key to success for the Blues.

"I think we missed Brett in game one, his play the ball speed and his runs out of dummy half early in the set," Cooper said.

"He's the best in the business.

"You talk about the forwards making metres, but these forwards will be making metres off the back of Brett Morris's play the ball."

Cooper was in Shellharbour on Tuesday afternoon to lend a hand at his junior club's training run at Ron Costello Oval.

He will travel to Melbourne on Wednesday to attend the second Origin game at the MCG.