Canterbury second-rower Adam Elliott has been named for Country Origin, less than a week after the Bulldogs claimed they wouldn’t allow their players to appear in Sunday’s match.
Elliott is the only Canterbury player selected in the 18-man squad for the final City-Country clash, after Bulldogs coach Des Hasler softened his stance last week and said he was open to letting some players turn out in Mudgee.
However Bulldogs’ NSW Origin representative Josh Jackson has not been named, despite airing his disappointment over the matter last week.
Jackson grew up in nearby Gulgong, and had said he had been excited at the opportunity to play in front of his home region before the Bulldogs made the call, due to their four-day turnaround into their away clash with North Queensland.
There are no Cowboys or Canberra players named in the squad after respective coaches Paul Green and Ricky Stuart echoed Hasler’s sentiments in recent days.
The non-selection of Raiders is a crucial blow to the event, given they had four players in the Country Origin side last year.
One of their 2016 representatives, Paul Vaughan, will play, after his off-season move to St George Illawarra.
Vaughan can press his claims for a NSW State of Origin spot in the front row in the fixture, having impressed in the opening nine rounds for the Dragons.
Sydney Roosters utility Mitchell Aubusson assumes the Country captaincy, while his club teammate and one-time NSW Origin player Michael Gordon earns a representative recall at fullback.
Cody Walker makes his representative debut in the halves alongside Tyrone Roberts, after the Rabbitohs five-eighth starred early in the season.
His club’s hooker, Damien Cook, also gets a start only weeks after he unseated NSW Origin rake Robbie Farah from the Rabbitohs’ starting spot.
Tariq Sims has also been named on the bench shortly after being confirmed as part of Fiji’s squad for their Pacific Test against Tonga on Saturday night.
Despite their availability woes, Country were at least able to name a team on Monday morning, while City were forced to delay their announcement until afternoon following a number of withdrawals.
Country origin squad:
Michael Gordon, Anthony Don, Euan Aitken, Cheyse Blair, Brian Kelly, Cody Walker, Tyrone Roberts, Dale Finucane, Damien Cook, Paul Vaughan, Mitch Aubusson (c), Kyle Turner, Jack De Belin. Int: Connor Watson, Matt Prior, Tariq Sims, Adam Elliott, Daniel Alvaro (18th man).
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