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Damien Cook spent Monday night in hospital with an infection in his leg before confounding his doctor's fears to play in NSW's State of Origin II win.

Damien Cook has vowed to give his NSW State of Origin jumper to the doctor who stopped a skin infection from ruling him out of Game II.

Blues coach Brad Fittler revealed Cook spent Monday night in Prince of Wales Hospital, waking up on match eve two hours away from teammates.

Cook was crucial for the Blues in the 34-10 flogging of Queensland, as they kept the series alive and sent it to a decider at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.

But it could easily have been a different story.

Cook was in and out of training over the weekend, and was limited to small drills on Monday morning before the call was made for him to leave the team's Wyong base.

He then remained in hospital all of Tuesday morning, as NSW began making back-up plans for Cameron McInnes to make his Origin debut at hooker.

But Fittler said he could hear in Cook's voice on Tuesday he would be fine to go.

"It was just antibiotics and a drip overnight," Cook said.

"The worst case was if it kept spreading, they would have to really open it up and clean out the infection and pack it in.

"I don't think he really wanted me to play Game II. We were just talking Game III.

"And Catt (Craig Catterick) our trainer just said he has to be at captain's run tomorrow at 2pm."

While it caused Cook discomfort in the lead up, he said the boil-like issue just felt like a cork on the field on Wednesday night.

It didn't stop him at all, as he chose his moments to run out of dummy-half before leaving the field with three minutes to go.

"He (Dr David Broe) wasn't too confident (I'd play). But he was hopeful ... that the antibiotics would work. I didn't want to miss it for that," Cook said.

"Woke up the next morning and he was amazed with it, gave it the all clear to go.

"He will be getting this jersey, I have already told Cat that. He was Irish and before he left me that night I said the luck of the Irish.

"He laughed and it worked. Dr Broe and Catt, they are the ones that got me here."