NSW are confident Canberra wonder boy Ethan Strange will recover from his ankle injury in time for the State of Origin decider.
Strange watched Saturday's session from the sidelines at the Gold Coast's Somerset College, where the Blues held their first training session since the back-up playmaker rolled his ankle on Thursday.
Matt Burton arrived in camp on Friday night and is on stand-by should  Strange fail to recover for Origin III in Brisbane on Wednesday.
But the 21-year-old is progressing well in his recovery and is able to walk without limping.
"He's my roommate (in camp) so I've been getting into him," said back-up hooker Blayke Brailey.
"He'll be okay, he is moving really well. He's confident. We're all confident in him and the medical staff out here."
Strange and Brailey were both excellent on Origin debut in the series opener.
Brailey broke his arm playing for Cronulla two days later, but bounced back in only three weeks to return for Wednesday's decider.
In between his physiotherapy sessions - and watching FIFA World Cup matches with his teammates - Strange has been picking Brailey's brain for advice on recovering quickly.
"He's been asking for a few tricks and tips. He's okay, he's a tough person, a tough player," Brailey said.
"I have no doubt he'll be okay."
Blues and Penrith second-rower Liam Martin knows first-hand ankle injuries may not always require long stints on the sidelines.
Martin memorably suffered a game-ending ankle injury against Melbourne on the run to the 2022 finals, only to return the next week and score the match-winning try against South Sydney.
"Speaking from experience, ankles, you think they're worse than what they are but they usually fix up pretty quick. Fingers crossed," he said.
"I'm no physio but he seems to be moving pretty well and I know they'll be doing everything in their power to make sure he's right."
Canterbury utility Burton participated in the Blues' opposed session on Saturday against the Titans' U21's team.
He had coincidentally been holidaying near the Blues' Kingscliff camp when he received NSW's distress call, but returned to Sydney with his family before flying back.
Burton came into the side at even shorter notice when Mitch Moses went down during camp for game one and played a cameo from the bench in the Blues' win.
He has played three Origin games, memorably brawling with Queensland's Dane Gagai the last time he played for the Blues at Suncorp Stadium.
If he is called into the team and history is to repeat, Martin said the Blues would do a better job defending Burton than they did that night in 2022.
"I wish we probably stuck up more for him back then. He sort of got, I don't know what the word is, one-outed there," said Martin.
"As a team we should have stood up for him. I'm sure if he got his chance again he'll be going just as hard."