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State of Origin 2017 Game 2 final teams: NSW Blues vs Queensland Maroons line-ups

Josh Dugan heading to the Sharkies? (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
21st June, 2017
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The final squads are in for Game 2 of the State of Origin series, which will see the New South Wales Blues attempt to wrap it up with a game to spare against a desperate Queensland Maroons side.

State of Origin 2
» Queensland’s champions refuse to lose
» Match report: Maroons steal Game 2 win to force a decider
» Watch all the Origin 2 highlights
» Why the State of Origin man of the match process is broken

Squads

New South Wales Blues
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

Queensland Maroons
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

In good news for both sides, they will run out onto the ANZ as named 1-17. Neither has been forced to make any changes after a straightforward week in camp with no injuries.

Johnathan Thurston sent a scare through the Queensland camp on the weekend, but he has been cleared of any problems and no changes were needed.

For the Blues, Trent Merrin, Tom Trbojevic and Matt Moylan drop out of the extended squad while for the Maroons, 18th man Cameron Munster will remain on the sidelines.

When the teams were named last Monday, the Blues named an unchanged 17 while the Maroons brought out a staggering seven changes.

Those changes see the return of superstars Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater who are arguably two of the best players the game has ever seen.

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Slater will slot straight back into his native fullback position, while Thurston goes into the halves to replace Anthony Milford.

Darius Boyd shifts from fullback to centre, while Valentine Holmes also comes in on the wing, with Corey Oates and Justin O’Neill out.

The injured Nate Myles has been replaced in the front row with debutant Jarrod Wallace, while Josh Papalii is back to the bench with Gavin Cooper to start in the second row.

Papalii is joined on the bench by two more rookies in young Cowboys second rower Coen Hess and left-field selection Tim Glasby, with Jacob Lillyman, Sam Thaiday and Aidan Guerra out of action.

With the Blues winning Game 1 28-4, coach Laurie Daley found no reason to make any changes. The spine of James Tedesco, Mitchell Pearce, James Maloney and Nathan Peats all played solid games, while the forwards dominated.

It’s the first time in 21 years the Blues have been able to name an unchanged side from one Origin to the next, and they will look to make it count on home soil.

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