Brad Fittler faces the biggest call of his NSW coaching career in deciding who replaces Nathan Cleary and how many other changes are needed for Origin II.
Cleary’s hamstring tear while on Penrith duty on Sunday night makes a bad situation worse for Fittler after Queensland stormed home to win the series opener 26-18 last week in Adelaide.
Fittler and Maroons coach Billy Slater will announce their game-two line-ups next Monday after Round 15 and while the Queenslanders need to find two new forwards to replace injured duo Tom Gilbert and Jai Arrow, the Blues have multiple problems to solve.
Blues stars Tom Trbojevic (concussion), Cameron Murray (groin) and Latrell Mitchell (calf) have been hampered by injury while Fittler is under pressure to drop debutant forwards Tevita Pangai jnr and Hudson Young after they made crucial errors in the series opener.
Brad Fittler. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
There is also plenty of conjecture around five-eighth Jarome Luai keeping his spot after a hot-and-cold performance in Origin I.
Slater said the loss of Gilbert and Arrow was more significant than a lot of people would suspect.
“That’s a big blow for us because they’re an integral part of the Queensland State of Origin team. They were last year and they have been for game one this year,” he said on his Nine podcast on Monday.
“I know there’s a whole heap of stories and headlines around Nathan Cleary, but these two guys are just as important to us as a Nathan Cleary and Cameron Murray is for NSW.
“Whoever jumps into their spot have got some big shoes to fill.”
Here’s how the two states are shaping up heading into the June 21 showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
NSW Origin I team
1 James Tedesco
2 Brian To’o
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Tom Trbojevic
5 Josh Addo-Carr
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Tevita Pangai jnr
9 Api Koroisau
10 Payne Haas
11 Tyson Frizell
12 Hudson Young
13 Isaah Yeo
Interchange
14 Junior Paulo
15 Cameron Murray
16 Liam Martin
17 Nicho Hynes
18 Matt Burton
19 Stefano Utoikamanu
Blues spine: Hynes is the frontrunner to replace Cleary in the No.7 jersey although Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses and Broncos veteran Adam Reynolds have greater experience at Origin level than the Dally M player of the year.
The Cronulla star was only given 12 minutes in his Origin debut at the end of the match at right centre when Trbojevic was rubbed out by a Tom Flegler high shot and came up with a missed tackle on Cameron Munster which led to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s match-winning try.
Hynes is undoubtedly the form halfback in the NRL after Cleary but it will be a huge ask for him to lead the Blues to victory in the Suncorp cauldron in his starting debut.
Nicho Hynes. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Cody Walker shapes as an option at five-eighth if Luai is not viewed as the ideal halves partner with Cleary out.
He came up with two try assists for the Blues in Adelaide but his kicking game was again almost non-existent.
“I’m confident in myself and I thought I did my job last game,” Luai told reporters after Penrith’s Sunday night win over the Dragons, indicating his preference was to combine with Hynes. “Rugby league’s a weird game, you just always need to be ready and when you’re called upon you need to do a good job.
“I’ll be ready if he calls upon me again. We’ve got a guy like Nicho there with a Dally M, he’s been in camp for the last two State of Origin series and he’s ready for it.”
Fittler could also look to bring Damien Cook back onto the bench to alternate with Koroisau after the Wests Tigers rake lacked impact after playing the full 80 minutes first up.
At least Tedesco roared back to his best at club level for the Roosters on Sunday after a sub-par outing in the Blues’ eight-point loss.
Outside backs: Trbojevic’s again under a cloud, this time due to the concussion he copped in Origin. He will not be allowed to play for Manly this Friday against the Dolphins under the NRL’s protocols, meaning he won’t play again between now and Origin II, if selected.
A mini break of a couple of weeks might be timely for Tommy Turbo to recharge his batteries and get over his niggling injuries that have dogged him this season.
Mitchell is hoping to make a return from the calf problem which forced him out of NSW duty when South Sydney take on the Dragons this Saturday but will not be risked by the Rabbitohs if he is not back to full fitness.
He could also be heading into Origin II with a lack of recent game time.
Tom Trbojevic. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham again stands as the most likely candidate to fill the breach for either player after he was initially in the extended squad for game one but had to withdraw due to a minor sternum problem. He returned on Saturday against the Titans and crossed for his 13th try of the season.
Stephen Crichton, who filled in for Mitchell in Adelaide, is unlikely to get another start.
Forward pack: The Pangai and Young experiment backfired with the starting forwards each giving away penalties that handed momentum to Queensland.
Junior Paulo should be elevated into the starting side, along with Liam Martin, who also gave the Blues plenty of impact off the bench.
The Blues can’t afford to lose Murray (groin) but Souths officials are confident it’s not a serious injury even though it forced him off on Saturday against Gold Coast.
Parramatta veteran Reagan Campbell-Gillard (groin injury) and Penrith’s Spencer Leniu (ruptured testicle) were unavailable for selection in game one but could be in line for a recall along with Roosters veteran Angus Crichton or a younger option like Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu or Souths second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi.
NSW Origin II possible team
1 James Tedesco
2 Brian To’o
3 Latrell Mitchell
4 Tom Trbojevic
5 Josh Addo-Carr
6 Cody Walker
7 Nicho Hynes
8 Junior Paulo
9 Api Koroisau
10 Payne Haas
11 Tyson Frizell
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
Interchange
14 Damien Cook
15 Cameron Murray
16 Hudson Young
17 Stefano Utoikamanu
18 Matt Burton
19 Angus Crichton
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow celebrates scoring a try. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Queensland Origin I team
1 Reece Walsh
2 Selwyn Cobbo
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5 Murray Taulagi
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
15 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9 Ben Hunt
16 Reuben Cotter
11 Tom Gilbert
12 David Fifita
13 Patrick Carrigan
Interchange
14 Harry Grant
8 Tom Flegler
10 Lindsay Collins
17 Jai Arrow
18 Tom Dearden
19 Christian Welch
Maroons spine: Walsh’s brilliant debut at fullback vindicated Slater’s bold decision to punt Kalyn Ponga despite his starring role in last year’s series win.
The rest of the spine will also remain the same unless injury or suspensions strike.
Outside backs: Cobbo suffered a hip injury late in the win over NSW and was unable to play for Brisbane in their win over Cronulla in Round 14.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters said “he hasn;t come up too well” in announcing he would miss the Sharks game but he’s a chance to return this Saturday at home against Newcastle.
Assuming he gets the green light, the Maroons will keep the same combinations out wide.
Maroons forward Reuben Cotter. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Forward pack: Gilbert’s dislocated shoulder means Slater needs at least one more forward and Arrow is all but certain to be out after suffering an ankle injury from a hip-drop tackle for the Rabbitohs on the Gold Coast.
Jeremiah Nanai is back in the running after playing strongly for the Cowboys on Sunday against the Storm in his return from a hip-drop ban but his team has the bye this weekend so he won’t get another chance to impress.
Dolphins veteran Felise Kaufusi will be available after serving his high-tackle ban while Canberra’s Corey Horsburgh, Storm prop Christian Welch and Broncos second-rower Kurt Capewell are also candidates.
Slater switched Flegler and Collins to the interchange and started with Fa’asuamaleaui and Cotter, who earned player of the match honours, so he may do likewise in Brisbane as they look to close out the series before the finale in Sydney.
Cotter played most of the match in the second row in logging the full 80 minutes after Gilbert was forced off.
Queensland Origin II possible team
1 Reece Walsh
2 Selwyn Cobbo
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5 Murray Taulagi
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9 Ben Hunt
10 Lindsay Collins
11 Reuben Cotter
12 David Fifita
13 Patrick Carrigan
Interchange
14 Harry Grant
15 Tom Flegler
16 Kurt Capewell
17 Christian Welch
18 Tom Dearden
19 Corey Horsburgh
