Blues opt out of 'emotional' tunnel walk ahead of State of Origin decider

NSW captain Isaah Yeo has confirmed the Blues will not walk out through the tunnel at Accor Stadium ahead of the State of Origin decider on Wednesday night.

The announcement follows reports last week that the Blues were planning to change their pre-game routine for game three.

The shift means the team will not use the long underground tunnel that stretches from the NSWRL Centre of Excellence to enter the stadium.

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"I don't think we're doing it," Yeo told media on Tuesday morning.

Yeo explained that because of the emotion attached to an Origin decider, combined with the Blues' disappointing first half in game two, the team wanted to minimise distractions.

The Blues also lost game one in Sydney last year after doing the tunnel walk, although they were cruelled by an early send off for Joseph Suaalii in that game.

"It can be a really good thing, but then in previous years, it probably hasn't served us overly well in terms of the emotion," Yeo said.

The Blues will instead prepare in the usual Accor Stadium sheds and do a much shorter walk-out to the field.

Yeo hopes the return to a more simplified pre-match schedule will better prepare the team mentally.

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"Any big game you play at Accor, normally you're in the Accor sheds. So, that's probably the thinking around it," he said

"It was getting tossed up a bit last year as well, and we chose to go with the tunnel.

"I think there's a bit more normality to it. You warm up in the sheds and do what you would normally do for a big game.

"I think that's probably the way we are going to go."

The ritual of walking through the tunnel, which was first inspired by the Nebraska Cornhuskers' tunnel walk, involves the team travelling from their dressing rooms at the adjacent Centre of Excellence via a hall of fame tunnel adorned with images of past NSW players and coaches, and then onto the field.

NSW has used the tunnel in previous deciders held at Accor Stadium since 2019.

The Blues camp is now expected to travel straight from their team hotel to Accor Stadium, complete their warm-up inside the sheds and then enter the field through the standard western tunnel.

Despite several Blues players battling injury and illness concerns, coach Laurie Daley was adamant his side would line up 1-17 on Wednesday night.

Brian To'o has been managing a knee injury, while Payne Haas has been nursing a back complaint. However, both players got through the team's opposed session against the Bulldogs' Jersey Flegg Cup team at Accor Stadium on Monday night.

"It was great last night to see Brian do the majority of the session and Payno did little bits and pieces, but given the circumstances surrounding his back, we felt like we're better off having him right on the night rather than two nights out," Daley said.

"So, they're all settled, they're all well. Now we just have to get it on."

Jacob Kiraz has been named as the side's 18th man as cover for To'o.

"I told Jacob, 'You just prepare like you're playing, and if we pull Brian out an hour before the game, then you're in. So, get your head around that. If we don't, you'll be the 18th man and you might get a run anyway'," Daley said.

Game three is scheduled to kick off at 8.05pm AEST.