The Repeat Set: Is Pearce about to play his final Origin?

I know you've read it plenty of times before, but the Origin decider will surely be Mitchell Pearce's last in a NSW jumper if the Blues lose.

Barring injury and/or suspension, NSW coach Laurie Daley will pick the same 17 for the return to Brisbane on July 12.

And that means Pearce will be retained despite again being unable to guide the Blues to victory in game two.

Without naming names, eighth Immortal Andrew Johns was clearly talking about Pearce when he slammed the Blues' lack of game management as they slid to defeat in the second game.

The No.7 was praised for his performance in game one but unfortunately fell back into old bad habits in the return bout.

Pearce has played 16 games for NSW and is yet to win a series.

If he fails to engineer victory in Brisbane next month, then Pearce is unlikely to be back ever again, especially if Daley moves on as coach.

The Roosters half may well fall into that category of a great club player who can’t quite measure up at Origin level.

Cronulla's forward pack has been fired-up by comments from the Manly camp suggesting the Sea Eagles have little to worry about ahead of Sunday's big game at Shark Park.

Manly prop Brenton Lawrence said of the Sharks' premiership-winning forwards: "I've got no massive concerns about their pack; if everyone is on we are up there with the best."

The comments have made their way to Shane Flanagan's side.

Lawrence did go on to note that the Sea Eagles needed to halt Andrew Fifita if they were to win and conceded: "They are a great side and have a lot of threats across the team."

Manly once went 20 years without a win in the Shire but have a good recent record at Shark Park.

They really fancy their chances against the premiers and will enter the top four if they win.

This should be one of the games of the season.     

Will Chambers is the most unpopular Queensland player among the NSW camp and he has few friends in the media, either.

The Queensland centre snapped at reporters and cameraman at ANZ Stadium during the Maroons' captain's run on Tuesday, insisting they take off quickly after coach Kevin Walters ordered everyone out after just a few minutes of training vision.

It didn’t go down well.

Chambers is one of the game's great sledgers and there is little love for him outside the teams he plays in.

Clubs have been warned by the NRL that they need to remain more diligent around the use of mobile phones by players in dressing-rooms.

There was a big clampdown during the betting scandal last year, with players forced to hand in their phones before games.

But the Repeat Set has been told clubs haven’t been that stringent of late and the use of phones – for legal purposes we might add – has again become the norm.

Talking of the punt, word on the street is that one of Sydney's big gamblers – and a bloke closely connected with rugby league types - is back on it in a big way.

A corporate bookmaker has taken on our man despite his somewhat colourful background.

Everything this bloke touches usually ends in tears so we will watch this one with interest, especially if he stays in touch with his NRL buddies.