That seemed whacky in the lead-up to game one. Most - Kickoff included- thought Kevvie had lost the plot but, as is always the case in sport, a win left him vindicated.

Nothing but a victory will bring Fittler that same vindication after he and his staff sprung more than a few selection surprises for Origin II.

Barely a year goes by without a selection shock or two. What's made this particular reshuffle so hard for people to wrap their minds around complete lack of a discernible selection policy.

Whether it should be the case or not, part of getting supporters on board with a side is the selection narrative a coach can spin around his side.

Last year it was pretty simple from Fittler. Players had to be in form and come into camp without outside distractions, in particular around contracts.

Fittler wasn't the first to be concerned about the latter. Take look back over Laurie Daley's time as Blues coach and it's not hard to recall the number of players who came out of camp suddenly disgruntled about their pay packet in clubland.

It's what largely fed Phil Gould's public statements that he would not want any of his Panthers players in the Blues set-up. Fittler wasn't having a bar of that last season and it worked.

The young new-look Blues were an open book for media and fans, no dramas, all good vibes. It was an easy team to sell. This year that sell's a lot tougher because, whichever way you look at it, it's hard to find any consistency in the selection approach.

Prior to game one Nathan Cleary was hopelessly out of form. Cody Walker was one of the form players of the competition. Now after a first-up loss, it's pick and stick on Cleary, one and done on Walker?

It's the same story with Latrell Mitchell. He had a shocker obviously but why no loyalty to him? You could argue Josh Morris was even more hard done by given the way he played.

They've both been punted for two blokes who don't even play centre for their club. There's no rhyme or reason as to where the loyalty card is played and when it's not.

It's not to say they weren't right calls to make - as always, the proof will be in the pudding - it's just a list of the obvious questions people are asking.

What's clear with these selections is that Fittler, now one down in the series, isn't interested in selling this team. He's picked a team he believes can win the game, regardless of the reception it gets or who appears fortunate or hard done by to outside eyes.

If you look past those big selection calls, Fittler's strategy for game two is pretty clear. Picking Jack Wighton and Tom Trbojevic in the centres has logically raised eyebrows. As has Blake Ferguson's recall after apparently not passing Fittler's character test last year.

What all three provide is a big body and a willingness to use it to bring the ball out of their own end. Ferguson is one of the best wingers in the game in that area, while Trbojevic was the Blues best at it last season.

It's also an area in which the Blues struggled in game one, particularly in the second half when David Klemmer and Paul Vaughan were off the field. It's one of the reasons Fittler gave for hooking Walker to Wighton on the field.

A wrist injury to Klemmer means NSW have lost their main go-forward man. Daniel Saifiti has been given a debut, but the rest of the front-row cupboard is fairly bare.

Payne Haas is injured, as is Jordan McLean and, thankfully, selectors didn't go down the Matt Lodge path (that sell was too tough).

The solution? Generate go-forward through the back five. For all his brilliance, rolling the sleeves up at his own end is not a huge strength of Mitchell's. It's not Morris' forte either.

Fittler also got very little punch from his bench in game one. The addition of Dale Finucane, Wade Graham and Tariq Sims alongside Cameron Murray will bring a lot more spark to the interchange.

It certainly offers more punch than the Maroons' pine that features grinders in Jarrod Wallace and Tim Glasby.

There's definitely some gambles there. There's plenty of people who simply aren't buying the plan. Guess it's a good thing Freddie ain't selling it.