That is the question Blues mentor Laurie Daley and his coaching staff must ask themselves after Queensland secured their 10th series win in 11 years of Origin domination with a 26-16 win in Origin II NSW gave it their all and would have won the series opener if they had played with the same purpose three weeks ago but they still didn't ask enough questions of the Maroons defence to score more than two tries.

However, what stood out was the performance of debutants Tyson Frizell and Jack Bird, who almost scored on his first touch of the ball after coming on midway through the second half.

Frizell scored a try and almost got another, with the Blues' only other try was a length of the field effort by five-eighth James Maloney after intercepting a pass from Queensland's three try hero Dane Gagai.

Given the impact the two players called into the NSW team as late replacements after the suspension of Wade Graham and injury to Josh Morris, NSW supporters can only wonder what may have happened if Daley had heeded calls to also select Tedesco, Leilua and Cartwright.

Before being injured earlier in the season, Tedesco was favourite for the No.1 jersey but after selecting Matt Moylan in his place for Origin I, Daley stuck with the Penrith fullback when many thought his Wests Tigers counterpart may have offered more punch in attack.

Tedesco's supporters would have believed their arguement had grown stronger when Moylan was driven five metres into his own in-goal to force a second half goal line drop out.

Leilua has been the form centre in the NRL for Canberra but there are concerns about his discipline and the Blues brains trust opted for the more conservative approach of calling Dylan Walker off the interchange bench and bringing in Bird.

Cartwright was chosen as a development player but many felt the Blues needed the ball skills of the Penrith back-rower and he is certain to come into the selection mix for Origin III at ANZ Stadium on July 13.

Graham and Josh Dugan are also set to come into the reckoning for the dead rubber, which is likely to see a continuation of the changing of the guard for NSW.

The match-up between Greg Inglis and Walker was intriguing, with Queensland trying to shift the ball to their left at every possible opportunity and the rookie Blues centre doing everything he could to stop his former South Sydney captain causing havoc for the NSW defence.

The outcome was four early penalties against Walker but he doggedly stuck to the task and his approach proved effective as the Maroons tries were scored on the opposite side of the field through Gagai.

However, another penalty count in favour of Queensland and NSW's error rate were costly and made it difficult for the Blues to capitalise on the opportunities they created with their more expansive attacking approach compared to Origin I.

Knowing they needed to score more than one try to beat the Maroons and keep the series alive, NSW allowed Walker and five-eighth James Maloney to roam on either side of the ruck, while they were prepared to run the ball on the last tackle rather than kick the ball dead and give Queensland seven tackles from the 20-metre line.

The decision to promote Frizell to the starting line-up in place of Greg Bird as the Blues left edge forward proved a success, with the St George Illawarra second-rower scoring a try and almost getting another that would have locked the scores up in the 70th minute if Michael Jennings hadn't knocked on.

Frizell was a handful for the defence while his effort to ankle tap Gagai just before the tryline after chasing the Maroons winger for 70 metres was reminiscent of Scott Sattler's try saver on Todd Byrne in the 2003 grand final.