NSW Blues hopes are rising on the happy wings of change

JARRYD Hayne and Akuila Uate share a Fijian heritage and a burning desire to change NSW's State of Origin fortunes.

THEY share a Fijian heritage and a burning desire to change NSW's State of Origin fortunes.

Blues wingers Jarryd Hayne and Akuila Uate might be under immense pressure to help their side level the series in front of a raucous home crowd tomorrow night but they were all smiles yesterday ahead of the biggest match of their Origin careers.

The spectre of a seventh straight series defeat didn't seem to faze the pair, who were buoyed by the news they will play in front of the biggest Sydney Origin crowd since ANZ Stadium was reconfigured after the 2000 Olympics. With just 400 tickets still for sale last night, the stadium will be a sea of blue with an expected crowd of 84,000 - most of them boisterous New South Welshmen.

Despite Homebush Bay being swamped by more than 100mm of rain over the past two days, enough seats have been sold to ensure the biggest turnout since the venue's capacity was scaled down.

Almost a quarter of the huge crowd will be wig-wearing Blues fanatics, desperate to make their presence felt and ensure an old fashioned Sydney welcome awaits the Maroons.

Their fanaticism shows just how desperate NSW is to break its Origin drought, which now extends back to 2005.

In that time the side has tasted victory just three times in Sydney, including last year's 18-8 triumph that signalled a possible turning of the tide.

NSW will move camp from Coogee to Olympic Park today. Queensland will touch down after a week in luxurious seclusion at a Sunshine Coast resort.

Final preparations began in earnest last night, when coach Ricky Stuart invited members of the history-making 1985 NSW team to present the team jerseys.

Led by Bulldogs great Steve Mortimer, that side was the first to break the strangle hold Queensland had held since the Origin concept began in 1980.

"They created an aura. We need to re-create that aura," Stuart said.

Despite suffering a tweaked hamstring at training on Sunday, NSW debutant Tim Grant is in no danger of missing the big match, according to Blues skipper Paul Gallen: "There is no problem. He'll play."