Mitchell Pearce spearheaded the Sydney Roosters into second place in the NRL with a 40-18 rout of Wests Tigers on Sunday.
The New South Wales scrum-half set up a try and scored two of his own as the Roosters crushed the Tigers at Campbelltown.
Pearce is expected to be selected in an unchanged NSW team for the June 21 second Origin match after the Blues outgunned Queensland 28-4 in the series-opener on May 31.
Test full-back Billy Slater pushed his claims for a Queensland recall with another outstanding performance for leaders Melbourne Storm in their 18-13 win over defending champions Cronulla on Thursday.
Slater provided the match-winning pass for the thrilling win after the Sharks recovered from 12-0 down to take a late lead.
With six minutes left and trailing 13-12, Slater gave a short pass for second-rower Felise Kaufusi to score the clincher.
Melbourne lead the Roosters and Sharks by four points, with St George Illawarra bidding to join them if they can beat the Canterbury Bulldogs in Monday's remaining game.
Brisbane's 24-18 win over South Sydney on Friday was soured by a shoulder injury to Queensland stand-off Anthony Milford.
Milford suffered a suspected dislocated left shoulder after falling awkwardly while trying to dive on the ball, and is in doubt for the second Origin encounter.
Winger Akuila Uate haunted his former club Newcastle with a controversial try in Manly's 18-14 win over the Knights on Friday.
Uate scored the opening try before being awarded his second try to seal the victory, with replays indicating he had lost the ball over the tryline.
Superstar Johnathan Thurston's return inspired North Queensland to a 32-6 trouncing of Parramatta in Darwin on Saturday.
Thurston, playing his first game in more than a month with a shoulder injury, had a hand in four of his side's five tries to prove his fitness ahead of the second Origin match.
Two late try assists from Matt Moylan fired the rejuvenated Penrith to a 24-20 comeback win over Canberra on Saturday, lifting the Panthers into the top eight.
Penrith trailed by eight points with three minutes left before Moylan pulled the switch to turn the game.
The New Zealand Warriors defeated the Gold Coast Titans 34-12, the Kiwis' seventh consecutive win at the Titans' home ground.