They're the generation of NSW players with fewer mental scars yet every reason to have the State of Origin blues.
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There's 16 of them who, if it wasn't for one Trent Hodkinson show-and-go in 2014, wouldn't have witnessed Origin success for the whole of their adult lives.
The topic has been the hardest to broach at Blues training this week. They're a team all about the future. The past doesn't rate a mention.
"Our young guys don't have those scars from years gone by," Blues captain Boyd Cordner said.
"There hasn't really been talk of that at all, it's all about our energy and everything has been put into this game and preparing them for what Origin has in store for them.
"We aren't looking back on the past, we can take some lessons from the past but we are more so looking forward."
But the reality is it's a Blues team which has barely seen their side win.
Halfback Nathan Cleary was eight and living in New Zealand when the Maroons' run started in 2006. Latrell Mitchell was the same age while Tom Trbojevic, Josh Addo-Carr and Angus Crichton were still primary schoolers.
But they're now part of a new era of young NSW players determined to make sure the next batch of young fans don't have to endure the same pain they did.
"It was kind of hard watching NSW lose," Cleary said.
"But I grew up watching State of Origin in the glory days where there was Joey Johns running around and I idolised him.
"It's just the nature of NSW to stick by them through all this. I still love NSW and to be a fan, you know how much it means to be a fan out there.
"So to kind of fill the void now, it's a great honour."
James Maloney is the odd Blue out, the one player over the age of 18 when Darren Lockyer swooped on an errant Brett Hodgson ball out of dummy-half and scored to claim the series decider for Queensland back in 2006.
But NSW players still insist they have positive memories of Origin.
"I remember 2005 still, (Andrew) Johnsy's return, that was great" said Jake Trbojevic, who was then 12.
"I've still got a lot of good Origin memories. Even though we probably haven't been the most successful it was always a big thing in our house."
Australian Associated Press
