In total, the best fraternal combination in the game have played 107 matches together at a club, state and national level.

Six times they have run out for NSW together, with Jake having been there in every State of Origin brother Tom has played.

Until Sunday night that is, when Tom will go out without Jake for the first time in Origin football.

Jake's glute injury represents the only change in NSW's team for Game II, with Angus Crichton and Dale Finucane called into a 20-man squad.

The Blues are at least hopeful Jake will return for Game III in Sydney on July 14, but that is not yet confirmed after he was hurt in training for Manly this week.

"He's devastated," Tom said.

"He was a big loss for (Manly) too (against the Gold Coast). He shores up that middle and we probably weren't up to scratch in that first half.

"It was weird playing without him ... but that's footy sometimes.

"He'll enjoy his rest, work hard and get back out there as soon as he can."

NSW will probably reveal early in the week exactly how they intend to replace Jake, with Payne Haas likely to start at Suncorp Stadium after coming off the bench in Game I.

The options then will either be playing Finucane as a middle off the bench, where he could be a similar option to Jake to lock up the centre part of the field.

Alternatively, Crichton could either start on right edge - with Cameron Murray sent back to the bench - or even come off the interchange as a middle himself.

Meanwhile, Jake's absence did little to slow Tom down in his one hit-out before Origin on Sunday.

The 24-year-old scored a hat-trick and set up four tries in Manly's 56-24 win over Gold Coast, remaining the form man of the competition heading into Origin II.

He has now scored 14 tries and set up 18 in just nine games this season.

"The rest last week obviously worked out well with the way the boys played. It's good to come back and play my part tonight," he said.

Australian Associated Press