Just In: The NSW Blues checking and confirming the team, and it is all for good due to….
Origin II teams CONFIRMED: How NSW Blues and Maroons will line up at MCG
NSW coach Michael Maguire and Queensland counterpart Billy Slater have again resisted the urge to make late changes to their team for Origin II at the MCG.
As they did in the series opener, both coaches have stuck to their 1-17 line-ups but as we saw in game one, the 18th player could also be thrown into the fray.
Warriors forward Mitch Barnett will be the standby player on the Blues bench with Newcastle veteran Dane Gagai wearing the No.18 jersey for the Maroons.
Reece Walsh will make his comeback to the playing field for the first time since he was concussed in the early stages of game one last month at Accor Stadium.
The match starts at 8.05pm and teams have officially been announced an hour before kick-off.
NSW
1. Fullback: Dylan Edwards
Age: 28
Origins: 0
Origin tries: 0
A quad injury denied him his debut in game one but Michael Maguire has stuck solid with his first-choice fullback at the expense of fill-in James Tedesco. Among the NRL’s most consistent players, the Penrith custodian is a workhorse out of yardage and in support play.
2. Winger: Brian To’o
Age: 25
Origins: 10
Origin tries: 4
Just about the first bloke named on the team sheet these days. He managed north of 200 run metres in game one, but that’s almost become expected for the nuggety Penrith flyer, a weapon in the backfield and a threat in the corner.
3. Centre: Latrell Mitchell
Age: 27
Origins: 7
Origin tries: 6
Looms as the Blues’ game-breaker. Called in for the suspended Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Mitchell was revelatory in his last Origin series in 2021 and came into camp in his best form for more than a year. Val Holmes has his work cut out to stop the South Sydney superstar.
4. Centre: Stephen Crichton
Age: 23
Origins: 7
Origin tries: 1
Switches to the opposite side with the inclusion of left-edge specialist Mitchell, but that won’t trouble the versatile Crichton. He’s a popular character around camp and was elevated to the leadership group ahead of game two. A genuine big-game player.
5. Winger: Zac Lomax
Age: 24
Origins: 1
Origin tries: 1
The Blues’ best player on debut in game one, Lomax holds his spot on the right wing and will have an early chance to test his chemistry with future Parramatta teammate Mitch Moses. Expect him to be an aerial target for the halfback’s pinpoint kicking game.
6. Five-eighth: Jarome Luai
Age: 27
Origins: 8
Origin tries: 2
The in-form Panther will be crucial to injecting Mitchell into the game on the left edge. He didn’t get the chance to go after old Origin foe Reece Walsh in game one after the fullback’s concussion and their clash could be an intriguing subplot.
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