NSW Blues captain Boyd Cordner has been forced out of the 2020 State Of Origin series after sustaining a head knock in game one.

Paul Gallen told Mark Levy he was surprised Cordner went back on after the collision, but trusts the Sydney Roosters to do the right thing by their captain going forward.

“I think we’ve got to be guided by the medical experts, and so does Boyd.

“The trouble is with the scans these days, you don’t know the damage until it’s too late.”

In Gal’s experience, being able to play rugby league at the highest level is worth taking on a higher risk of injury.

“You know what, if I get to 50 or 60 and I have something wrong, and someone said would you change it, I’ll say no.”

On the NSW side’s chances of coming back from the brink tomorrow, Gal “fully expects they can get the win”.

“They’ll respect the ball more, they’ll respect their opposition more, they’ll run harder, they’ll tackle harder.

“They’ve got to do the simple things well.”

Click PLAY below to hear Gal’s comments in full

Image: NSW Blues