AFTER turning in a man-of-the-match performance that should ensure his Origin selection, Anthony Laffranchi last night praised the selflessness of veteran Country lock Craig Fitzgibbon for offering to play a front-rower's role so that he could concentrate on his natural game.

Initially selected out of position at prop, Laffranchi was able to play wider after Fitzgibbon approached him in the lead-up to the match and said he would do the hard yards in tight to help the Gold Coast second-rower to push his NSW claims.

It was a sacrifice that enabled Laffranchi to shine on a night in which Blues positions were supposed to be up for grabs and should ensure his place in the 17-man squad for Origin I to be named on Tuesday week.

"Fitzy just said, 'Mate play your natural game out wide' so we swapped around during the game," Laffranchi said in a Country dressing room in which players admitted they had been confused about wether there would be golden point after the scores finished level at 22-all. "It's fantastic of Fitzy to give me that opportunity and I really credit the bloke for doing that. That just shows the sort of bloke he is and the unselfishness attitude we had in the Country camp. Full credit to him for allowing me to play that natural game of mine."

A modest Fitzgibbon, who is possibly in the last season of an illustrious 11-year career that has included four grand finals, 15 Tests, eight Origins and five appearances for Country, played down the significance of the gesture and said the idea had been coach Laurie Daley's.

But he said Laffranchi deserved to be in the Blues team and wanted to see him given every opportunity to compete with the other six second-rowers on display at WIN Stadium.

"Laurie approached me earlier in the week so I was just doing what I was asked. It was no great sacrifice on my behalf," Fitzgibbon said.

"Boofa is a super player and he's been one of the form players of the competition.

"He's just outside the Australian team and probably in the frame for NSW selection so I thought it would be better if he could play his normal game and stake his Origin claims."

Other players to enhance their Origin prospects in the first draw between City and Country since 1961 were rival halfbacks Brett Finch and Mitchell Pearce, five-eighth opposites Todd Carney and Braith Anasta, Wests Tigers forward Chris Heighington, Newcastle prop Ben Cross and Melbourne winger Anthony Quinn.

Asked who he thought had stuck their hands up for Origin selection, Daley - a NSW selector - said the high class encounter had made the job of picking the Blues team harder. "All our forwards - Brett White, Glenn Stewart, Anthony Laffranchi … Todd Carney showed his class when the game was on the line and he got us back in the game. They all did their jobs. I can't single anyone out," Daley said. "As a group of selectors, we've got a tough job because plenty of players deserve their positions.

"All these games, when players stand out, it always makes it harder. That's been the best thing about this game: in our minds we haven't got a settled situation. Plenty of people did their chances no harm."

Of particular interest is the halves battle but Knights utility Kurt Gidley remains the favourite for the NSW No.7 jersey.

"I've been around a long time, and I've been a selector for five or six years … the performances of the players out there tonight were good," Daley said. "Kurt Gidley is a very valuable member of any team he plays, and is value is being a utility. In the past, that's affected his chances as a starting player. But he'll get a chance in the coming weeks to press his claims [as a starter.] There isn't a standout favourite, to be honest … The selectors were keen to see Mitchell Pearce and Brett Finch tonight. I thought Pearce went OK."

Anasta, who is expected to be the NSW five-eighth, favoured his Sydney Roosters scrumbase partner Pearce but said Gidley and Finch both had strong claims.

"It's tough," he said. "I'm going to be biased but Pearcey's been going great. Tonight he stepped up when we were struggling. To be honest, I was a bit wary about how he would go.

"He was a bit nervous before the game and he stepped up."