Warning signs: Nanai not satisfied with Origin I demolition

Jeremiah Nanai topped the tackle count and came within a whisker of scoring a try in Game One as Queensland won by 28 points in enemy territory, but he's adamant there's plenty of improvement for the Maroons.

The barnstorming Cowboys back-rower – who has an incredible strike rate of 35 tries in 54 games at club level – only made 65 run metres in Sydney and squandered the chance to put his side further ahead with Reece Robson's brilliant try-saver denying the 21-year-old his second Origin four-pointer.

In what should sound as a warning sign for the Blues, Nanai knows there's improvements to be made across the board for Queensland as they look to secure the Origin shield for a third successive year. 

“There's a lot of places that we can improve on,” the strike forward said. “We've already spoke about it in our review and we've got a lot more footy in us.

"I personally have still got a few things to work on, but my approach will be similar to how I played the first Origin, I won't go away from it.

"What I did in the first game, I think I did really well and I've got improvements to make, and hopefully I can turn it up next Wednesday.

"[I need to work on] a bit of both in defence and attack, but more defensively for myself. I like to work on defence. Attack, I think it's like second nature to me, it's fun getting a lot of tries and stuff, but I've got more things to improve in my defence and I'm working on it.

"We're just going to work on it during the week and hopefully we can bring it next Wednesday."

The 21-year-old faces a tough assignment marking Blues star Angus Crichton, who is enjoying a career resurgence and posed plenty of problems in Game One despite his side being down to 12 men.

Crichton has seven tries and four try assists in his last six games for the Roosters, with he and Liam Martin posing a formidable back row partnership for Nanai and Jaydn Su'A to handle in Melbourne.

“I like to challenge myself against the best second rowers in the game out there, and Angus and Liam are some of the best back-rowers in the game," Nanai said.

"I like taking that challenge on and competing against them.

"I'll be up for it and ready.

"This is actually my first time going to Melbourne as I haven't been there. I've never played the Storm there as we've always played them in Queensland.

"It'll be exciting and a good trip so I'm keen to playing down there."