Croker, 26, became the fourth youngest player in NRL history to reach the 200-game milestone when the Raiders returned to winning ways against Parramatta on Saturday.

The goal-kicking and try-scoring machine has been one of the competition's most consistent players in recent years but has been repeatedly snubbed of representative honours.

Lazarus, who played 19 games for NSW and 21 Tests for Australia, said Croker must finally be picked but the centre is expected to once again be overlooked when Laurie Daley names his team on Monday night.

"It's long overdue, he's been a quality and consistent footballer for a long, long period of time and he plays with a lot of passion which is what you need in Origin," Lazarus said.

"I think if he was picked he'd be that appreciative of being given a blue jumper that he'd absolutely play out of his skin.

"His defence is sound, he scores tries and goal-kicking is so important these days, you see games decided every week by goal-kicking, and Jarrod is one of the best in the business when it comes to that."

Croker sits behind Josh Dugan, Jack Bird and Jarryd Hayne in the NSW centres pecking order but Lazarus said the Blues must find a place for the Goulburn product.

It is understood Croker gets overlooked because he lacks a flashy skill set or match-winning x-factor, but after losing 10 series in 11 years the cries for a player of Croker's consistency and poise are growing louder.

Lazarus believes the Maroons' secret to success is they find room for player's like Croker who then press on and play with flawless consistency year-in year-out.

"I think if he's a Queenslander he's already played a dozen Origins either in the centre role or they would have put him on the wing," Lazarus said.

"Queensland have this knack of finding places for people, Jarrod might have started 10 of those games on the bench but Queensland would have found a player of his quality and calibre a spot.

"I'm not saying the centres for NSW haven't been quality but I'm surprised Jarrod hasn't even been given a bench spot because he's a quality centre but he could easily fit on the wing or fullback, he's a player that would adapt to any situation confronting him."

On the back of Queensland's decade of dominance Lazarus said the time for change is now if the Blues are to reverse its losing culture.

"The problem is when you continue to lose the harder it becomes to start winning and you get burnt by that and I think some of the players are scarred," Lazarus said.

"The first sign of madness is not changing anything and expecting a different result and we haven't won a lot in the last decade with a lot of the same players on the park. There's some players running around now who haven't played Origin and are in form and I think would do really well.

"Queensland are vulnerable for game one with injuries and I think if we can put a side together playing really well we could surprise them then have a great opportunity to take the series in game two."

Lazarus pointed to his own playing days as example of what new blood can bring to an Origin side struggling for confidence.

"I can remember back in '89 when Laurie [Daley], Bradley [Clyde], Ricky [Stuart] and myself all coming in playing our first Origin," Lazarus said.

"They threw us to the wolves but within 12 months we won the '90 series and had a successful run through the early 90s there.

"Queensland have this luxury of having the best hooker the game has ever seen, a future immortal half-back and Cronk will go close to becoming an immortal as well, it's just sickening how much talent they've got.

"We need some changes just to freshen the place up, not wholesale changes but players with the right personality and attitude and application for the blue jersey, otherwise we're going to get the same result."