The damaging second-rower was one of eight changes in Craig Bellamy's side which will attempt to restore some pride in the blue jersey having already lost the best-of-three series to Queensland.

Learoyd-Lahrs is the only Raider in the NSW team after Joel Monaghan was dropped and Terry Campese missed selection again.

Veteran Brett Kimmorley will partner Trent Barrett in the halves while Michael Ennis, Josh Perry, Trent Waterhouse and Brett White join the Blues for the first time this year.

Michael Jennings and Craig Wing return from injury as Monaghan, Paul Gallen, Robbie Farrah, Peter Wallace and Brent Kite were axed from the team that lost 24-14 in Sydney two weeks ago.

Learoyd-Lahrs, brought into the NSW squad as 18th man for Origin II, faced a nervous wait after he was put on report in the Raiders' 34-28 win over the Gold Coast last Sunday.

He was cleared by the NRL judiciary yesterday and went to the movies to watch Ice Age 3 with his family last night to take his mind off selection.

''I'm pretty excited and overwhelmed and chuffed that I'm actually going to get a chance to play,'' Learoyd-Lahrs said. ''I wasn't too worried about [being reported], I saw the replay and thought 'they can't pin me for that'. After I found out I was cleared I thought it was probably a good idea just to get out of the house and do something to not think about [Origin].''

More Raiders news in today's Canberra Times