Opinion
The teams for the second State of Origin will be named after this weekend’s Round 15 of the NRL with both coaches needing to tinker with their line-ups.
NSW and Queensland will name 22-man squads for the June 26 showdown at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
An ankle injury to Xavier Coates means Maroons coach Billy Slater only needs to make one forced change from the squad which won the series opener 16-10 in Sydney.
Brad Fittler looks like he will have all players available from game one but whether he rings in the changes to shake up his squad is yet to be revealed.
Latrell Mitchell and Ryan Papenhuyzen are not in the mix for selection as their comebacks from injury have been delayed by untimely bouts of COVID-19.
The Roar experts have their say and if you’d like to do likewise, fire away in the comments section below.
NSW should look at bringing Stephen Crichton in at centre for Kotoni Staggs and I’d look to make a few changes in the pack. Put Cameron Murray back in the starting second row with Tariq Sims on the bench and bring Jake Trbojevic back on the interchange as he’s more mobile than Junior Paulo. Api Koroisau would be my bench utility because he can give them some impact out of dummy-half.
1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Jack Wighton
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Payne Haas
9 Damien Cook
10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11 Cameron Murray
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Api Koroisau
15 Tariq Sims
16 Jake Trbojevic
17 Ryan Matterson
Xavier Coates. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Queensland should give Murray Taulagi an Origin debut on the left wing so that he can link up with his Cowboys teammate Valentine Holmes.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Murray Taulagi
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Selwyn Cobbo
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Josh Papali’i
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 Felise Kaufusi
12 Kurt Capewell
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Patrick Carrigan
16 Jeremiah Nanai
17 Lindsay Collins
NSW should never have axed The Foxx so Josh Addo-Carr should come back in on the wing for Daniel Tupou. And it’s the same with Jake Trbojevic – get him into the starting side with Haumole Olakau’atu bringing some X-factor off the bench.
1 James Tedesco
2 Josh Addo-Carr
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Jack Wighton
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Payne Haas
9 Damien Cook
10 Jake Trbojevic
11 Cam Murray
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Nicho Hynes
15 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
16 Ryan Matterson
17 Haumole Olakau’atu
Haumole Olakau’atu. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Queensland have a readymade Origin player waiting in the wings in Hamiso Tabuia-Fidow, who was fabulous on debut last year.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Selwyn Cobbo
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Josh Papali’i
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 Felise Kaufusi
12 Kurt Capewell
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Patrick Carrigan
16 Jeremiah Nanai
17 Lindsay Collins
NSW should pick Latrell Mitchell. If he is fit to play for the Bunnies the following weekend, he’ll be right to play for NSW. I get that Souths would prefer he didn’t but losing good players to rep duty is part of the deal. Suck it up. The rest of the team is pretty much guys who have done it before replacing guys who couldn’t get it done. ‘The future’ should never be a concern in Origin, you play the best player in each position – ‘best’ being the operative word, as opposed to ‘form’ – even if they’re ten years older than the next-best.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Queensland? Rinse and repeat! The Hammer replaces the injured Coates and Billy Slater can feel confident he’s got a side that can wrap things up in Perth.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Selwyn Cobbo
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Josh Papali’i
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 Felise Kaufusi
12 Kurt Capewell
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Patrick Carrigan
16 Jeremiah Nanai
17 Lindsay Collins
NSW
Definitely in: Josh Addo-Carr, because it was just insanity to leave him out in the first place. This is the big stage and this is where he shines. Api Koroisau, because playing an 80-minute hooker in Origin is a thing of the past and this offers a different look while giving Damien Cook a breather to come back and speed up.
Definitely out: Daniel Tupou, who while he’s good at those strong grunt runs just isn’t an attacking threat in how Fittler’s NSW team plays. Stephen Crichton, who might be the best centre at Penrith but he’s not ready for this. I may be on a log in the ocean about this but so be it.
Injury pending: If they can’t go, Payne Haas and Kotoni Staggs are straight swaps for Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Matt Burton in the front row and centres.
1 James Tedesco
2 Josh Addo-Carr
3 Kotoni Staggs/Matt Burton
4 Jack Wighton
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Junior Paulo
9 Damien Cook
10 Payne Haas/RCG
11 Cam Murray
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Api Koroisau
15 Ryan Matterson
16 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
17 Jake Trbojevic
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Queensland
Definitely in: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who offers more flexibility across the backline if injuries strike again and is bloody good anyway.
Definitely out: Xavier Coates, gone with that syndesmosis problem.
Injury pending: I still think Mo Fotuaika and Thomas Flegler deserve to be in the mix, but that stuffs too many big boppers in.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Selwyn Cobbo
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9 Ben Hunt
10 Josh Papalii
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Felise Kaufusi
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Patrick Carrigan
16 Lindsay Collins
17 Jeremiah Nanai
NSW should be replacing Staggs with Crichton and shifting Wighton to the other side so Critta and Bizza get to play together. If Tupou wanted to play for Tonga, I could see an argument for Matt Burton and Foxx coming on to play as a duo on the edge.
Tariq has to go from the backrow rotation for me, and it’d be Haumole Olakau’atu coming in, because I love the guy. I’d love him more playing for Tonga though…
1 James Tedesco
2 Josh Addo-Carr
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Jack Wighton
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9 Damien Cook
10 Payne Haas
11 Cam Murray
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Api Koroisau
15 Ryan Matterson
16 Junior Paulo
17 Haumole Olakau’atu
Queensland will replace Coates with Taulagi, which I thought they should have done for Game 1 anyway, so no great loss there. Everything else, keep it as it is.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Murray Taulagi
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Selwyn Cobbo
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Josh Papali’i
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 Felise Kaufusi
12 Kurt Capewell
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Patrick Carrigan
16 Jeremiah Nanai
17 Lindsay Collins
NSW need to make changes. The Blues have the challenging problem of finding more punch and penetration in the back line, with Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic’s unavailability and the non-selection of Josh Addo-Carr throwing a far less dangerous group at the Maroons defence in Game 1. The Bulldogs winger is a must pick for the second game of the series, with his club form excellent and sheer presence intimidatory, whilst Siosifa Talakai must come into consideration for a left side centre role.
Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary failed to fire in Sydney yet deserve the chance to redeem themselves in Perth and aside from Tariq Sims, the remainder of the squad should also be backed for a second time in 2022, after being within seconds of potentially leveling the opening match.
The absence of a few of the Blues’ notable weapons means it is time for Haumole Olakau’atu to step into a loose forward role and throw something rather frightening at the Maroons. Weekend injuries could well play a role in selection come Sunday night, yet Queensland look far more settled and the Blues have a mountain to climb after losing on home soil last Wednesday.
1 James Tedesco
2 Josh Addo-Carr
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Siosifa Talakai
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9 Damien Cook
10 Payne Haas
11 Haumole Olakau’atu
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Api Koroisau
15 Ryan Matterson
16 Junior Paulo
17 Cam Murray
Queensland, barring injury in Round 15, will not change a winning line-up, aside from the inclusion of proven performer Corey Oates to take the place of the injured Xavier Coates in the vacant wing position.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Murray Taulagi
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Corey Oates
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Josh Papali’i
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 Felise Kaufusi
12 Kurt Capewell
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Patrick Carrigan
16 Jeremiah Nanai
17 Lindsay Collins
NSW: I tried to tell Freddy last time – REECE ROBSON AT 9!!! I have once again put him in the starting side. And once again I have his Cowboys buddy Scott Drinkwater on the bench. And the Foxx and Jurbo are back!
1 James Tedesco
2 Josh Addo-Carr
3 Matt Burton
4 Jack Wighton
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9 Reece Robson
10 Junior Paulo
11 Jake Trbojevic
12 Cameron Murray
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Scott Drinkwater
15 Angus Crichton
16 Liam Martin
17 Keaon Koloamatangi
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Queensland have no need to mess with a winning formula. With Coates out injured, bring the Hammer onto the wing.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Selwyn Cobbo
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9 Ben Hunt
10 Josh Papalii
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Felise Kaufusi
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Lindsay Collins
16 Patrick Carrigan
17 Jeremiah Nanai
NSW With so many injuries and representative fixtures, the teams for State of Origin Game II will no doubt get a little bit messy. Even though Fittler seems worried about picking players from Canterbury, I would bring Josh Addo-Carr back into the squad at the expense of Daniel Tupou and also put Matt Burton at centre for Kotoni Staggs.
1 James Tedesco
2 Josh Addo-Carr
3 Matt Burton
4 Jack Wighton
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9 Damien Cook
10 Payne Haas
11 Cameron Murray
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Stephen Crichton
15 Ryan Matterson
16 Junior Paulo
17 Tariq Sims
Corey Oates. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Queensland should bring in Corey Oates. He is a strong runner of the ball and has performed strongly at a State of Origin level.
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Selwyn Cobbo
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Dane Gagai
5 Corey Oates
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9 Ben Hunt
10 Josh Papalii
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Felise Kaufusi
13 Reuben Cotter
14 Harry Grant
15 Lindsay Collins
16 Patrick Carrigan
17 Jeremiah Nanai
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All the team list information for Round 8.
