It is the dawn of a new era at the Blues, with an infiltration of youth sweeping through the camp without veterans Paul Gallen, Greg Bird, Luke Lewis and Anthony Watmough, who have been mainstays in the NSW system for the best part of a decade.

Led by Boyd Cordner – touted as a future Blues captain – the seven young monsters in whom coach Laurie Daley has put his faith have been given the responsibility of dictating terms against the once all-conquering Queensland pack.

Daley has placed his trust in David Klemmer (aged 21), Cordner (22), Aaron Woods (24), Josh Jackson (24), Andrew Fifita (25), Trent Merrin (25) James Tamou (26).

"I think NSW is in good hands," stand-in skipper Farah said. "You look at a lot of these guys, especially the pack, I think they can be a real dominant pack for many, many years to come. Woodsy, Fifita, Tamou, Klemmer – they are all young props in their early 20s that can dominate at this level for the next 10 years and really take this side into a new era.

"It's an exciting adventure ahead and I'm really looking forward to seeing what they can do [next] Wednesday night."

Daley knows Jackson and Cordner are professional, run-all-day types of players.

Tamou and Merrin are the oldest of the young group, and are now established members of the squad, while Woods is regarded as the leader of the pack.

Then you have the two tearaways, the loudest members in camp, Daley's X-factors, sitting on the bench waiting for his orders to let rip in the opening game of the series at ANZ Stadium next Wednesday.

"I'm excited to play alongside big Klemmer and Josh Jackson," veteran back-rower Beau Scott said.

"Being debutants makes it even more special for them. Klemmer is a big bopper. He is one of those kids who you'd rather be playing alongside than against. Jacko is a competitor, and loves to be amongst it. He will get the job done. He is one of those fellas that you would go to war with."

In Gallen's absence through injury, Farah has taken control as skipper, working closely with the senior leadership group of Scott, Josh Morris and Ryan Hoffman.

But with Gallen and Farah in the twilight of their careers, the NSW No.9 believes there is no shortage of captain material among the squad ready to step up.

"Boyd's definitely one of them," Farah said when asked about future captains. "Aaron Woods, for such a young guy, he plays well beyond his years. I think Mitchell Pearce is turning into a really, really good leader. I've seen the development in him over the last 18 months.

"I think he's relishing in the role that Trent Robinson's given him at the Roosters. Even Josh Jackson is a real professional at everything he does, and we saw that at the Four Nations."

Cordner has been regarded as a future captain since bursting onto the scene with the Roosters, and while he admits the captaincy would be a dream come true, he refuses to get caught up in the hype.

"I try not to read much into that at all," Cordner said. "It's pretty humbling hearing it from guys who have been there and done that before, but I'm just starting out and I'm trying to just worry about my job at the moment than worry about that talk.

"It's something you definitely dream about, no doubt at all. When you're a kid, that's all you dream about, captaining your state or captaining your country."

Merrin is one of the most capped players in the team and, in the absence of the veterans he debuted under, has taken it upon himself to lead the new brigade of Blues chargers.

"Coming into camp, not seeing Gal, Birdy, Choccy or Lewy, it makes me feel old," Merrin said. "I feel that I have to step up now and put my hand up in that senior position.

"It's exciting but there are some big shoes to fill. We've got some great young players who will build what Queensland did years ago. We're blooding some players now and it's definitely looking up for us."