New South Wales Blues coach Laurie Daley has confirmed that Jack Bird will start at five-eighth in State of Origin Game 3 at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.
Bird will make his run-on debut, starting in the halves alongside his Cronulla teammate James Maloney, after Adam Reynolds was ruled out with a shoulder injury late last week.
There was speculation that Matt Moylan would take Reynolds’ spot in the starting side, but Daley has instead opted for Bird, who experienced Origin for the first time in Game 2, coming off the bench.
Daley said he will likely share the pivot role between Moylan and Bird as the Blues look to avoid their first series clean-sweep loss since 2010.
Eight players will have made their Origin debuts for the Blues this year, including Wade Graham and James Tedesco, who have both been named to make their debut against the Queensland Maroons.
“We have a lot of young guys who have been given their opportunities throughout the series so it’s exciting times for them, and let’s hope they show everyone what they’re capable of doing,” Daley said on Tuesday.
“For us, it’s about going out there and playing some really good football – that’s what we really want to do. We haven’t played anywhere near our potential yet so that’s the thing that excites me.”
“I just want to make sure this team is prepared well which it has been and we go out there and have a real crack… This team is very capable of a lot more than what it has shown.”
The Blues want to send their skipper Paul Gallen out on a high in his 24th and final Origin game.
NSW Blues team for State of Origin Game 3
1. James Tedesco, 2. Blake Ferguson, 3. Michael Jennings, 4. Josh Dugan, 5. Josh Mansour, 14. Jack Bird, 6. James Maloney, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Robbie Farah, 10. Paul Gallen (c), 11. Wade Graham, 12. Josh Jackson, 13. Tyson Frizell.
Interchange: 15. James Tamou, 16. David Klemmer, 17. Andrew Fifita. 18. Matt Moylan
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