Former Test halfback Steve `Slippery' Morris had an inkling his boy would get a NSW Origin jumper - only thing is - he thought it would be Brett and not twin brother Josh.

Josh Morris became the latest to benefit from the worst preparation in the history of the interstate series when called into the NSW squad to replace injured bench utility Craig Wing on Monday.

Wing finally succumbed to the hamstring strain which plagued his build-up, Morris' late inclusion leaving the in-form Bulldogs flyer with just two sessions before Wednesday night's must-win encounter against Queensland.

His call-up left dad Steve - who was plucked from country football to play one Test in 1978 and later played two games for NSW (1984 and `86) while at St George - a little befuddled and in a mad scramble to get to ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.

Despite Josh being named as a shadow player when the game two team was selected, Steve thought any chance the family had of being represented in Origin II disappeared when St George Illawarra winger Brett was overlooked.

"I thought Brett was a real big chance the first time they announced the side," Steve said.

"Not just that he's my son, I think he's been playing sensational football and I thought he should have been one of the wingers picked in the first place.

"Josh was coming back from injury, he'd been out for four or five weeks and he's only had a couple of games and he's got in so it's been a bit of a turnaround.

"I thought Brett was a special and then Josh came through."

Not that Steve is complaining, though he isn't quite sure how he'll get to the game given he is due at work at Bomaderry High School on the NSW south coast on Wednesday.

"I haven't had time to organise anything - I only found out today," he said.

Josh too admitted he thought his chance of playing Origin football in 2009 had disappeared the moment he hobbled off ANZ Stadium in round six with a foot injury.

"After I got injured I thought I may have lost my chance but to be called into the side is a great achievement," said Josh.

"Every kid from NSW wants to play Origin, it's probably one of the best arenas for rugby league to play in, so obviously very proud following the tradition."

Given the chaotic nature of NSW's build-up, Morris' two sessions will be seen as ample time with a host of his new teammates not having managed too many more due to injury.

Five-eighth Trent Barrett trained strongly on Monday to remove any doubt about his back injury, but the loss of Wing will result in plenty of adjustments when Morris gets his opportunity either at centre on the wing.

That will free Jarryd Hayne - NSW's best player in game one - to shift to fullback with skipper Kurt Gidley then becoming the utility player able to cover for the halves and at hooker.

"It's a little bit of a shuffle around when he comes on but everyone knows their roles and just watching them out there today, they're training really well," Wing said.

Canberra's Tom Learoyd-Lahrs joined the camp as 18th man, but befitting NSW's preparations, he had his left knee packed in ice on Monday.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP