NSW must pick on presence, not form, if they are to win Game III in Brisbane, according to SEN's Matty Johns.

The Blues were embarrassed at the MCG in Game II, losing 44-24 after being up 12-8 at halftime, and ensuring a series decider up at the Maroons' cauldron; Suncorp Stadium.

Laurie Daley's selections were heavily scrutinised heading into Game II, with Knights' forward Dylan Lucas controversially preferred to Manly's Haumole Olakau'atu, while Game I star Ethan Strange was relegated to the bench in favour of Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses.

With a slate of big name NSW-eligible stars returning from injury to club footy in the next fortnight, Johns believes the Blues must select players with big-game experience, even if they don't have the runs under their belt.

"We've gotta forget about form, right, forget about it," Johns told SEN 1170 The Run Home.

"Form is temporary to a certain degree, it's like cake in the rain, it can disappear quickly.

"If you're going to beat Queensland in this big in this big decider, we need to pick on big game experience and presence.

"Welcome back Latrell (Mitchell). Welcome back Tom Trbojevic, welcome back Liam Martin.

"Api Koroisau comes into the side, Stephen Crichton comes back into the side.

"You've got to pick a side that, when Queensland put the team sheet up on the board, they go, 'oh wow, we're in for one here'.

"At the moment, we're really just lacking presence.

"Those guys I've just spoken about, I don't care if Latrell plays half a game before he goes in, and he's not in the best touch, and same with Tom and that.

"These blokes are winners, they've got big personalities, big presence, you just pick them and take them up there.

"Don't pick this last game on form. Pick it on big game experience, pick it on presence.

"That's what we've got to do."

Tom Trbojevic and Stephen Crichton both return from injury in Round 16, while Liam Martin is two weeks back from an MCL injury.

Latrell Mitchell is expected to return from a back injury in Round 17, giving him one round to prove himself match fit for the Blues.