NSW full-back Brett Stewart says he would be shocked if Manly team-mate Jamie Lyon retired from representative football.
Lyon was in line to replace injured centre Mark Gasnier for Origin II but told Blues coach Craig Bellamy he wasn't interested in joining the NSW camp.
Gasnier ended up playing but has been ruled out of Wednesday's series decider, with Canberra's Joel Monaghan preferred over the enigmatic Lyon.
Bellamy revealed: "Jamie had the chance to come into the camp for the second one when Gasnier was under a cloud."
"But he knocked that back. He told us he didn't want to play rep footy."
Stewart expressed surprise over Lyon's apparent indifference, declaring: "I'd have a little bit of shock (if he's quit rep footy). I'm not aware of anything."
"If he did knock it back I'm sure there are reasons."
"I don't know the full story. Jamie is a friend of mine and whatever decision he makes I'll respect."
"He's a little bit older than me. He has a couple of kids and a family and I suppose you when you're that age you look at things a little bit differently."
Stewart, the only Manly player chosen throughout the Origin series despite the Sea Eagles leading the competition, revealed the Blues were still feeling the pain of their heavy loss to Queensland in Origin II.
NSW was thrashed 30-0 and now need to defeat the Maroons at ANZ Stadium to capture the Origin crown for the first time since 2005.
"I don't think any of us are too proud at having 30 points scored against us," Stewart said.
"It's probably going to hurt for a while. But we've got a chance to redeem ourselves on Wednesday."
"We went over it (Origin II) but now we're going to be focusing on game three."
"There is a good vibe around the camp."