Maroons great Lote Tuqiri says Blues would be 'stupid' not to pick Latrell Mitchell for Origin II

NRL great Lote Tuqiri has a message for his old coach and current Blues mentor Michael Maguire - it would be "stupid" not to pick Latrell Mitchell for Origin II.

The former dual international, who won premierships at the Broncos and Rabbitohs, will attend South Sydney's 10-year premiership reunion on Saturday - and will use the opportunity to endorse Mitchell's place in the do-or die battle for the Blues on June 26.

"Latrell loves the big stage, he's a big-game player, and he can turn a game on its head," Tuqiri told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Those sort of big moments in Origin are made for guys like him. Madge would be stupid not to pick him. It's a no-brainer from NSW's point of view.

"He's started to turn the tide for Souths. He did it last week against the Gold Coast. He's the man I'd be worried about from a Queensland point of view."

Mitchell has been a major part of Souths midseason revival as they gun for three straight wins against the Broncos on Friday night, with skipper Cameron Murray returning from a hip injury.

With Joseph Suaalii's suspension from game one leaving NSW with a vacancy at centre. Mitchell is widely viewed as the favourite to come in to the team that will be named Sunday.

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Mitchell has not publicly declared he wants to play for NSW and former Blues coach Phil Gould questioned whether Mitchell could switch to centre on such a big stage after spending the past few seasons at fullback.

Tuqiri disagreed, saying Mitchell would handle the move "on his ear".

Interim Souths coach Ben Hornby backed Mitchell and Murray to push for Origin selection.

"All my conversations with him is he wants to play," said Hornby, when asked about Mitchell's feelings about lacing up for NSW.