THE 2008 Origin series may well prove to be one carved out of the hope that a promising lad of 22 will become a brilliant on-field leader in just nine days.

Debutant Peter Wallace, drafted into the NSW team as possibly the fourth-choice halfback, played with a confidence that was almost spooky, taking charge of the Blues' kicking game and involving himself in the first two tries.

Wallace was a late arrival from Brisbane to the Blues camp but his mature display last night, when he also had to cope with the defensive workload of being a target for the Queensland ball-runners, indicated NSW have found a mature tactical leader for years to come.

Wallace, who may as well have worn a bullseye on his chest, was a focus of runners Greg Inglis and Sam Thaiday and had made 17 tackles by half-time.

Playing a brand of football both daring and decisive, the Blues comprehensively defeated a a dispirited and at times desultory and disjointed Queensland 18-10.

While Wallace deserves much praise for his debut, NSW coach Craig Bellamy came up with a game plan under which his players appeared to relish their assigned roles. It mightn't have been so technically elegant that it would have made a computer geek drool, but his strategy was to play direct, with a hard-hitting, edgy style.

Bellamy's original gameplan, formulated months ago, centred on Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley. The coach proposed a direct game, with hooker Danny Buderus and halfback Gidley - the duo Newcastle club mates - responsible for the attack, focusing on the middle third of the field.

However, Gidley's injury (ironically picked up in a game against Bellamy's Melbourne Storm) and his replacement by Wallace forced a change of strategy. In order to take some responsibility and therefore pressure off Wallace, Bellamy split the halves, sending Wallace to the right and five-eighth Greg Bird to the left when in their own territory. They were instructed to link in Queensland's half of the field and the first try came after five minutes, when they took the first two passes from the ruck.

They launched a midfield raid to the left, passing to second-rower Ryan Hoffman, whose wild pass was scooped up miraculously by fullback Brett Stewart, who passed to wing Anthony Quinn.

The Blues' second try also involved Wallace when he kicked perfectly to Quinn, giving the 25-year-old two tries, also in his debut match.

Bellamy's decision to start with benchman Craig Fitzgibbon also paid dividends when the 30-year-old converted the first try from the sideline.

A cursory glance at the program statistics revealed this was a no-brainer. Fitzgibbon's 16 goals this season, with Mark Gasnier the next on one, showed the Blues needed a goal-kicker on the field at the start - together with the fact the Roosters forward is an 80-minute player and therefore wasted energy coming on late.

There is nothing more dispiriting for a team to have their lead cut by a try just before the break.

Queensland scored their first as the half-time hooter sounded, with Brent Tate placing one hand on the ball following a kick by half Johnathan Thurston.

Gasnier, who set up the Blues' third try in the first half, showed Queensland's try on half-time had not demoralised his team when he made a long, confident break after the interval and put the game beyond doubt, setting up the fourth try in the 68th minute.

Buderus played with guile, guts and energy that spoke volumes for his passion for the jumper.

The Queensland experiment of playing Karmichael Hunt as five-eighth shaped as a success early on, when he executed some monster tackles, but he failed as a pivot in linking with Queensland's brilliant centres, Inglis and Justin Hodges.

The Maroons almost scored a spectacular try when Billy Slater broke from his own half as if chased by the hounds of hell, but the action was diffused at the other end when Nate Myles's wild pass was intercepted.

Yet there was calm amidst the chaos, as the NSW defenders, scattered all over the field, showed the composure that comes with good coaching.

Under Bellamy, where once there was panic, there is now patience.