NSW coach Brad Fittler has landed on halfback Mitch Moses as the man to save his job in one of five changes to the Blues team for the must-win second State of Origin match on June 21.
Two debutants, North Queensland hooker Reece Robson and Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu, have been included in the 17. Both have previously featured in the Blues’ extended squad.
Origin I debutants Tevita Pangai Jr and Nicho Hynes headline the omissions, with Stephen Crichton also dropping to 18th man to make way for Latrell Mitchell on the South Sydney star’s return from a calf injury.
Hynes’ relegation is the harshest. The Cronulla halfback has been among the form players in the NRL for the past two seasons and had only 12 minutes of game time on his Origin debut.
But after Moses’ masterful performance in Parramatta’s 34-12 win over the Bulldogs on Monday, and with Fittler reverting to previous plans of carrying a hooker on the bench, there was no room for the reigning Dally M medallist.
Utoikamanu has bumped Pangai from the forward pack rotation after twice being selected on the extended bench – most recently in this year’s Origin I.
Second-rower Hudson Young, the third debutant from the series opener game, has held onto his spot despite a quiet showing in the first game.
Liam Martin (head) and Cameron Murray (groin) have been named, despite suffering injuries since the opener.
Dropped for the series opener, South Sydney hooker Damien Cook has earned an Origin recall after Api Koroisau went down with a jaw injury.
For only the second time at Origin level, Moses has been given the nod to mastermind the Blues at halfback, with Nathan Cleary sidelined through a hamstring injury.
The pressure is already on Moses after Fittler opted to select him ahead of Adam Reynolds despite the Brisbane halfback’s big-game experience and intimate knowledge of Suncorp Stadium.
The game could hardly be more crucial for the Blues or Fittler.
Fittler has previously conceded his job will be under pressure if the Blues go 2-0 down.
He is currently the longest continually serving Blues coach but is in danger of losing back-to-back series if NSW cannot level after dropping game one.
NSW Blues team
1. James Tedesco (c)
2. Brian To’o
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Tom Trbojevic
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Jarome Luai
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Junior Paulo
9. Damien Cook
10. Payne Haas
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Hudson Young
13. Isaah Yeo
14. Stefano Utoikamanu
15. Cameron Murray
16. Liam Martin
17. Reece Robson
18. Stephen Crichton
19. Keaon Koloamatangi
