They won, but Blues face 'huge headache' as Laurie Daley urged to consider several team changes

NSW legends Brad Fittler and Paul Gallen have given the Blues a reality check after a miraculous come from behind Origin I win as coach Laurie Daley faces a "huge" selection headache before game two.

Daley's men trailed 20-0 after 20 minutes, and were down 20-6 with 23 minutes to go before Kalyn Ponga was sent off which led to a 22-20 comeback win.

Queensland was the better team for most of the contest while the Blues made error after error in wet conditions at Accor Stadium.

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The home side did, to be fair, have several tries disallowed by the Bunker, and was starved of possession and field position during a tough first half.

But a calamity of errors early in the game led to Maroons tries.

Post-match, former coach Fittler said the side needs to "sort out" that first 25 minutes.

"We were well behind and it didn't look like getting that much better. They did a great job at getting the try (before half time) because Queensland didn't make a mistake until right at the death of the first half," he said on Nine's coverage.

"Pretty much the first mistake led to the first try. In that first half, mistakes led to tries and we made all the mistakes.

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"So we need to work out the first 20 to 30 minutes, don't worry about the rest of it because they were down to 12 players, the emotion in the game and Nathan Cleary put on some incredible plays."

Victory aside, Blues coach Daley is being urged to consider team changes before game two in Melbourne on June 17.

Before kick off on Wednesday night, several former players suggested NSW should switch its forward pack around to start Cameron Murray at lock, and put Isaah Yeo at prop.

"We've got to look at our starting team," Fittler said after the win.

"There was a big change in the game when Cam Murray and Victor Radley came on. I think obviously how Casey McLean handled the game, Ethan Strange, there's a few things the coach has to look at and make some decisions."

The Blues will almost certainly be bolstered by the return of superstar prop Payne Haas from injury in game two.

But the more pressing issue for Daley is what to do with the No.6 jumper following the stellar debut of Raiders young gun Ethan Strange on Wednesday.

Strange scored a try and had another disallowed, plus smashed several Maroons rivals with crunching tackles as he stood tall on the big stage for the first time.

But he only started the game due to Mitchell Moses tweaking a hamstring on Monday, and Daley is adamant Moses will be in the team for game two.

"The guys that played tonight were exceptional," Daley said.

"I think Mitch is a big part of our team... it's not a bad hammy, so we expect him to play. He will be a part of the squad for sure."

While Strange will be hard to drop, the Blues have always looked better with Moses in the team than when he hasn't played.

Even if Moses does come back into the halves for game two, Strange can be carried on the bench and brought on at some stage during the contest.

"It's going to be a huge headache," Gallen told Nine's Today on Thursday.

"The way Strange played on debut was outstanding. It's a huge headache to have, to be honest.

"The kicking game in Origin is so important, we saw all the kicking last night fall on Nathan Cleary's shoulders. He did a pretty good job but to have Moses out there would be even better.

"It's a good problem to have."

Other curly questions ahead for Daley are in the backline, specifically on the left edge where Tolu Koula made his debut on a wing outside Stephen Crichton.

Crichton was only average on Wednesday night while Koula was knocked out of the game in a clash with Ponga in the second half, but was solid before that.

Penrith 20-year-old Casey McLean came on to replace Koula and was outstanding in his limited time on the field, diffusing several Queensland bombs and going close to scoring a try on his Blues debut.

Complicating matters is the fact Latrell Mitchell is expected to be fit for game two and he will command selection at left centre if available.

His return would create an awkward battle between Crichton and Kotoni Staggs for the right centre spot - although McLean is also knocking on the selection door, too.

McLean, while a centre for the Panthers, could theoretically replace Koula on a wing.

The easy thing for Daley to do after a win is to stick with the status quo but Gallen is urging the coach not to rest on his laurels.

"We've got to keep a lid on it. If we really evaluate that game, the Blues don't win unless Ponga gets sent off," Gallen said on Nine after the game.

"I can't say they were nowhere near it because there was times when they were attacking the line and came up with tries ... but overall they weren't in the game to be honest."

Players have just two rounds of NRL footy to press their case for Origin selection before game two.