NSW coach Brad Fittler has given Optus Stadium the tick of approval, but admits the firmer surface will make kicking critically important in State of Origin II.
The Blues will look to keep the series alive on Sunday when they meet Queensland in the first Origin game in Perth.
Both teams completed preparations on Saturday with training runs in wet conditions at the venue, the Maroons in the morning and NSW in the afternoon.
Fittler said that with NRL matches being played at the SCG, as well as previous Origin games at the MCG and Marvel Stadium, players were used to grounds configured for AFL.
"And they're all the same. They're a little bit firmer, so I think the kicking's going to be a little bit tricky. Hopefully, we get hold of that," Fittler said.
"But outside of that, I think it's a good surface for footy."
Fittler went on to suggest the harder bounce might increase 40-20 attempts, and maybe even some chip kicks in attack.
"You can see they're a bit firmer than most of our grounds. They cut them a bit shorter," he said.
"(It) brings in 40-20s and a few different things, also a bounce with chip kicks and that. Hopefully, we can learn something (at captain's run) today."
The foreign conditions set up an intriguing contest that the Blues must win to send the series to a decider in Sydney.
Fittler made seven changes from the side who lost game one, including the surprise culling of star centre and league's leading pointscorer Latrell Mitchell.
Forwards Dale Finucane and Daniel Saifiti will make their debuts.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters was forced into two changes due to injury, recalling Tim Glasby and Jarrod Wallace on his bench.
The Maroons' lead-up was rocked by reports late on Saturday that Queensland utility Moses Mbye almost died after going into anaphylactic shock on Friday morning in Perth.
Queensland confirmed Mbye had suffered a serious allergic reaction, but had recovered to be a certain starter from the bench.
STATS THAT MATTER:
* Queensland have won the series in 16 of the past 18 occasions they have taken the opening game
* Twenty-one of the past 26 Origin games have been decided by 10 points or less
* NSW have had a player sin-binned in a record three-straight Origin games after Latrell Mitchell was binned in game one.
Australian Associated Press
