NSW coach Laurie Daley has made some big calls as he named the side to take on Queensland in this year’s first State of Origin match, dropping Penrith hero Dylan Edwards and giving Manly flyer Tolutau Koula his debut in sky blue.
The team to face the Maroons in Sydney on May 27 is as follows:
1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Stephen Crichton 4. Kotoni Staggs 5. Tolutau Koula. 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Reece Robson 10. Mitch Barnett 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Hudson Young 13. Isaah Yeo (captain).
The Blues bench will feature Cameron Murray, Victor Radley, Jacob Saifiti, Blayke Brailey, Ethan Strange and Casey McLean, with Dylan Lucas named the 20th man.
However, Daley made an embarrassing mistake when he announced the squad on Monday morning, naming Casey McGuire instead of McLean.
McGuire played two matches for the Maroons in 2005 and retired in 2012 after playing 150 NRL games for the Eels and Broncos.
NSW coach Laurie Daley (pictured left with skipper Isaah Yeo) has named six debutants to face Queensland in Origin game one on May 27
James Tedesco has displaced Dylan Edwards to recapture the No.1 jersey
Roosters enforcer Victor Radley (right) will make his highly anticipated Origin debut
James Tedesco’s State of Origin exile has ended as he reclaimed his crown as NSW’s premier fullback.
Picking between Edwards, who started all three games of last year’s losing series, was the hardest selection call Blues coach Laurie Daley had to make.
But the form of the 33-year-old Tedesco, who has six tries and eight try assists across 10 games for the Roosters this season, proved too hard to resist.
Game one will mark Tedesco’s 24th Blues appearance and his first since the opening game of the 2024 series.
Tedesco has previously played with the majority of Daley’s NSW side, which contains six debutants including Manly flyer Tolu Koula, Roosters lock Victor Radley and Cronulla duo Addin Fonua-Blake and Blayke Brailey.
Fonua-Blake and Radley have previously represented New Zealand and England in Test football but a change in eligibility rules over the off-season has permitted both players to make their Origin bows.
Koula, meanwhile, is named to line up on the wing alongside Brian To’o with Kotoni Staggs and Stephen Crichton picked in the centres.
The pair will be tasked with filling the void left by South Sydney’s Latrell Mitchell, who withdrew from selection due to the fact he has struggling with a back injury over recent weeks.
Canberra’s Ethan Strange and Penrith’s Casey McLean are both uncapped and have been named on the bench alongside Radley, Cameron Murray and the recalled Jacob Saifiti.
The rest of the NSW side is as expected with Nathan Cleary partnering Mitchell Moses in the halves and Reece Robson selected at hooker.
NSW were hit by a huge blow on Sunday when Souths star Latrell Mitchell ruled himself out of game one.
Mitchell was unable to finish South Sydney’s loss to the Dolphins at Magic Round, the centre having aggravated the back injury he suffered a fortnight earlier.
It’s a crushing blow for NSW, with Mitchell considered a lock to play left centre if fit.
The Blues had been expected to name Mitchell on their team sheet and manage his injury in camp ahead of game one in Sydney on May 27.
They took a similar approach with Payne Haas and Brian To’o last year and the pair overcame their injury issues to finish the series as the Blues’ best players.
But Mitchell took the decision out of NSW’s hands, leaving Kotoni Staggs, Tolu Koula and Casey McLean as selection options at left centre.
