It all goes on the line for New South Wales in Melbourne on Wednesday.

They need to keep the series alive and stay in the running to retain the State of Origin shield they won so valiantly last year.

But there are a few players within the Blues’ set-up who are under more pressure than others.

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And while Queensland are hot favourites to reclaim the crown with a series-sealing victory, a couple of Maroons should be approaching game two with a hint of apprehension.

Here are our five men with the most at stake at the MCG.

Laurie Daley could go from hero to villain very quickly. Photo: Getty

Laurie Daley

Daley’s selection policies are rapidly undoing the goodwill towards him garnered by last year’s watershed success.

While there is no question he created a culture and belief within the Blues camp after taking over in 2013 that eventually allowed them to break the Maroons’ Origin stranglehold, the decision to persevere with Trent Hodkinson – and to a lesser extent the selection of Mitchell Pearce alongside him at five-eighth – has polarised punters and pundits on the NSW side of the border.

Rather than pull out all the stops to save the series, Daley has ignored form and X-factor in favour of a conservative 17. Defeat in Melbourne, and a near-certain 3-0 series result after a Brisbane dead-rubber, would set the Blues back several seasons.

Trent Hodkinson

His coach has backed him to the hilt, but no player has had his right to line up in Origin II as relentlessly analysed as NSW halfback Hodkinson.

Retained for the series opener despite an indifferent start to his NRL campaign, the Canterbury No.7 started solidly in game one but unravelled during the second half, inexcusably missing touch from a penalty and failing to provide his team with direction – or even demand the ball when a vital field goal was in the offing.

In his last club outing, Hodkinson was benched with 20 minutes to go and the Bulldogs trailing the Dragons by just six points in a damning assessment of his current form.

Daley nevertheless named him the following day, but a subpar display in a beaten Blues side will almost certainly spell the end of his brief but eventful Origin tenure.

Paul Gallen. Likes nature. Photo: Getty

Paul Gallen

The return of the inspirational captain has been hailed as one of the chief reasons why NSW can level up the series on Wednesday night.

But Gallen has played just one match for Cronulla in the past two months, while Phil Gould robustly questioned the wisdom of the Blues rushing him back into the side after he missed game one with a glute injury.

Gould’s surprising appraisal was condemned by several former greats, and Gallen is undoubtedly one of the most influential forwards to ever grace the Origin arena.

But the Maroons’ more nimble players will be looking to step past the underdone 33-year-old as Roosters forward Siosiua Taukeiaho did with alarming ease a couple of weeks ago.

Billy Slater

The Melbourne champion made the startling admission that the shoulder complaint that has been troubling him all year could become a season-ending injury in an instant.

Can Daly Cherry-Evans redeem himself at state level. Photo: Getty

Slater was sidelined for month after a punishing tackle by Warriors behemoth Manu Vatuvei during the Easter round and was eventually ruled out of the Anzac Test.

He returned in time for Origin I and was outstanding in Queensland’s narrow victory – but he has not played since, missing both of the Storm’s subsequent matches.

The Maroons are well-equipped to deal with any in-game contingency – Greg Inglis, Darius Boyd and Michael Morgan are all top-class fullbacks – but a bad knock could mean curtains for Slater’s 2015 campaign, which would cripple Melbourne’s compelling title bid.

Daly Cherry-Evans

No player has gone from golden boy to Public Enemy No.1 (without the influence of alcohol) quicker than DCE did after his controversial contract back-flip.

But the brilliant Manly halfback has been granted a gilt-edged opportunity to create positive headlines following the injury to Cooper Cronk, resisting the challenge of Morgan and Ben Hunt to step into Queensland’s No.7 breach.

Cherry-Evans’ underwhelming performances in Cronk’s stead during last year’s history-making series loss creates another intriguing subplot, however the Storm halfback’s absence was deemed by many as the most crucial contributor to the Maroons’ reign coming to an end.

Cherry-Evans will be desperate to play the saviour role for his state – as much to atone for 2014 as putting the contract saga behind him.

Will Evans’ Origin II prediction: Queensland by 12 points