Balmain Tigers and NSW Blues icon Benny Elias believes that Brad Fittler should keep West Tigers hooker Apisai Koroisau in the Blues No.9 jersey.
As the Wests Tigers will enter Round 9 winless and at the bottom of the ladder, Elias hopes the club's form doesn't have an impact on Koroisau's chances for State of Origin.
Absent in Game 1 last year, Koroisau played in Games 2 and 3 in the No.9 jersey alternating with Damien Cook, who he pushed to the interchange bench.
If he is chosen, it will see him link up again with former Panthers teammates Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai (50/50 with Nicho Hynes for the No.6) and Isaah Yeo.
"The environment he has with the State of Origin side, he can feel very comfortable with," Elias said to the AAP.
"The people around him, he can feel very comfortable with. You can do it with authority."
"He can't do that authoritative stuff at the Tigers because we haven't won a game or have that confidence.
"But all these blokes picked for the Blues, they have that confidence, arrogance and experience. They give him that energy, and Api, with his kind of talent, will excel."
In his playing days, Elias appeared in 19 games for NSW across 1985-1994 and was honoured to captain the side in six games for the 1990 and 1991 State of Origin series.
Eleven years after his retirement from State of Origin, he was immortalised as one of the 25 greatest NSW players of all time.
Elias is worried that Koroisau - who will become the first Tigers representative player in six years - will endure the same fate as Josh Addo-Carr last year when the winger was left out due to the Bulldogs' poor form.ย
"I had the joy of spending time in camp with him last year. And you talk about the bloke you need in State of Origin, Api certainly is that bloke," Elias told AAP.
"It's a different animal in Origin. You go from one environment to another and it's chalk and cheese."
However, Koroisau is unfazed that he will receive the same fate as Addo-Carr.
"It is what it is. At the end of the day, if I get picked, I get picked. If I don't, I don't," Koroisau said at a Tigers press conference.
"The only thing that will get me picked for Origin is playing good footy for the Tigers.
"The Tigers are the priority. Getting picked is all secondary."