The NSW Blues have named their team for Game 1 of the 2018 State of Origin series, with a record 11 debutants to represent the state.
Only six players who appeared for the Blues have made their way back into the team for 2018 – Boyd Cordner, James Tedesco, James Maloney, David Klemmer, Tyson Frizell and Jake Trbojevic.
» Expert reaction to NSW Blues Game 1 side
The Blues lost that series 2-1, with the last series victory for New South Wales coming in 2014.
Jake Trobjevic has been moved to the bench to accommodate the inclusion of debutant Jack de Belin at number 13.
Cordner, Frizell Tedesco, Maloney and Klemmer have all been named to start.
De Belin, Tom Trbojevic, Josh Addo-Carr, James Roberts, Latrell Mitchell, Nathan Cleary, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Damien Cook, Tyrone Peachey, Paul Vaughan and Angus Crichton will all debut for the Blues next week at the MCG.
It looks like the beginning of a new era for the Blues, and they’ll be hoping to get it off to a successful start in 2018.
Boyd Cordner will captain the side for a second year with Brad Fittler set to coach the team for the first time.
The first match of the series is scheduled to kick off at 8pm AEST on Wednesday June 6 at the MCG, before the series travels to ANZ Stadium in Sydney for Game 2 and then wraps up at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
1. James Tedesco, 2. Tom Trbojevic, 3. Latrell Mitchell, 4. James Roberts, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. James Maloney, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. David Klemmer, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Tyson Frizell, 13. Jack de Belin.
Interchange: 14. Paul Vaughan, 15. Jake Trbojevic, 16. Angus Crichton, 17. Tyrone Peachey.
18th man: Tariq Sims.
19th man: Nick Cotric.
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