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NSW assistant coach Danny Buderus has confirmed David Klemmer will be in the run-on side in Wednesday's State of Origin decider.
NSW front-rower David Klemmer will be in the starting line-up in Wednesday's State of Origin decider, assistant coach Danny Buderus has confirmed.
Blues coach Brad Fittler was non-committal on the make-up of his run-on side when the team regathered in camp on Sunday afternoon.
However the night before the anticipated third game, Buderus said Klemmer would start alongside Newcastle teammate Daniel Saifiti in the front row.
Klemmer was easily the Blues' best forward in game one, when he played nearly all of his 50 minutes with a broken wrist that ruled him out of game two.
Fittler surprisingly overlooked the Kangaroos incumbent for the decider before rushing him back into the squad for the suspended Tariq Sims.
As he did in game two, No.10 Paul Vaughan reverts to the bench.
"A big body, he's a play-one forward. He's prepared really well with the rest of the team so he's in for a big night," Buderus said on NRL 360.
"We've worked around a few things, how we balance the team out, and we've come up with Klemmer will start."
As they did in Sydney last year, the Blues will walk from their team hotel to the NSWRL headquarters across the road from ANZ Stadium.
Then in an Origin first, they will warm up on their own fully-fledged training ground instead of deep in the bowels of the Olympic venue.
Blues kickers will get the airspace to practise their kicks and bombs, while new goalkicker James Maloney will be afforded some shots from the kicking tee.
The Maroons' warm-up room at the stadium is 11x15 metres.
Then in another first, NSW will walk from their dressing rooms at the centre of excellence to the ground via an underground tunnel not used since the Olympics.
The sides of the tunnel will be lit up with photos of Blues champions, including one of Fittler, himself a former NSW captain.
"I tried to get a better photo before (Wednesday), I was looking for a bit of a meaner one," Fittler said.
"It's awesome, this'll be fantastic. I'm 47 so I get a first (Wednesday) night. You don't get many firsts at 47."
