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It’s do or die for the Queensland Maroons as they attempt to send the 2017 State of Origin to a third game against the New South Wales Blues at ANZ Stadium. Here are the teams that will represent their states tonight.
Starters
1. James Tedesco
2. Blake Ferguson
3. Josh Dugan
4. Jarryd Hayne
5. Brett Morris
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Aaron Woods
9. Nathan Peats
10. Andrew Fifita
11. Josh Jackson
12. Boyd Cordner (c)
13. Tyson Frizell
Interchange
14. David Klemmer
15. Wade Graham
16. Jake Trbojevic
17. Jack Bird
Reserve players
18th man: Matt Moylan
19th man: Trent Merrin
20th man: Tom Trbojevic
Update: Trent Merrin has been rushed into the Blues’ squad as 19th man in place of the suspended Jack De Belin
Starters
1. Billy Slater
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Will Chambers
4. Darius Boyd
5. Dane Gagai
6. Johnathan Thurston
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Dylan Napa
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Jarrod Wallace
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Matt Gillett
13. Josh McGuire
Interchange
14. Michael Morgan
15. Josh Papalii
16. Coen Hess
17. Tim Glasby
Reserve players
18th man: Cameron Munster
The New South Wales Blues might come into State of Origin two with the same 17, but it’s anything but for the Maroons who have made an incredible seven changes – it’s been some time since we have seen Queensland swing that many changes in the same game.
For the Maroons, it’ll be a welcome relief to have both Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater back in the side after they missed Game 1.
While Thurston was injured, it was hard to understand the reasoning behind Slater missing the squad. The proven match-winner is joined by rookie Valentine Holmes in the backline, with Justin O’Neill and Corey Oates the two to miss out.
Anthony Milford is out of the halves, and even though he is injured the chance he was going to keep his spot ahead of a fit Thurston was none.
In the starting side, Jarrod Wallace has been named to make his debut for the Maroons, with Nate Myles out through injury. Human wrecking ball Josh Papalii will also drop back to the bench with Gavin Cooper into the second row.
The three men who have been dropped from the Game 1 bench are Sam Thaiday, Aidan Guerra and Jacob Lillyman and while Papalii takes one of those spots, the other two go to Coen Hess, who has only played 22 games in his NRL career but was a favoured inclusion, and Melbourne Storm prop Tim Glasby.
Glasby is a left-field selection and one that left many scratching their heads. Cameron Munster will be the Maroons’ 18th man.
The Blues have made one change in the extended squad, with the Jordan McLean forced out. Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic has been included as the 20th man.
New South Wales’ stability is a talking point in itself, given the side haven’t named the same squad for two consecutive games in over two decades.
Mitchell Pearce played arguably his best ever Origin game in Brisbane, while the forwards were dominant and the rest of the spine – James Tedesco, James Maloney and Nathan Peats all had good performances.
With no injuries, coach Laurie Daley had no need to make any changes for the second game as the Blues attempt to take the series.
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