The Origin teams for game three have been announced and there is plenty to discuss on the New South Wales side of things, while not much has changed for the Maroons on paper.
Game three is less than a week away and the Blues are looking to avoid their first series whitewash in ten years, while the Maroons are attempting to got 3-0 and really rub back-to-back series wins into their opponents faces.
The Blues have axed five players from their game two line up and will introduce new faces to the team, as well as recalling four of their past stars. The two debutants are Bradman Best and Keon Koloamatangi. Best replaces the injured Tom Trbojevic, and Koloamatangi slots into the starting second row. Best was the logical option as he’s been playing much improved footy at the Knights, and South Sydney’s Campbell Graham is unavailable due to a sternum injury.
Many haven’t been too happy with the inclusion of Best but he’s been playing good football, and yes, it looks like a curveball, but it’s not. The other names that were thrown around to fill this centre role were Matt Burton and Nicho Hynes.
They obviously aren’t traditional centres and playing someone in their correct position is a better option than playing a halfback in the four jersey. Playing a halfback like Hynes means he’ll be looking to provide for others too much rather than run himself, which is a key part of playing in the centres.
The real curveball was the bench. Rarely do we see a hooker and utility player both named on the interchange list in any high level of rugby league – it’s just a weird move. I understand the luxury of having a guy like Clint Gutherson who can slot into any outside back position if a starter gets injured, and the Reece Robson selection is obvious.
state of origin
Cameron Munster celebrates a Queensland try. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The thing I’m worried about for NSW is the fact that they may struggle due to being one forward down. There are only two middlemen on the bench. My point is that Origin is commonly known to be a fast, intense game, and being one forward down can prove to hurt you in the back end of the game.
On the other hand, Queensland have not even a small breath of pressure on them and their selected side was almost unchanged besides Reece Walsh’s suspension and Thomas Fleglers injury.
In typical Maroons fashion, they’ve stuck to their guns throughout the series and two new players being brought into camp will be a good thing.
AJ Brimson will get an opportunity at fullback for the first time since the famous 2020 series and Corey Horsburgh will play in his well-earned Maroons debut. The ‘big red’ has been one of the most improved players this season, and I’ve always seen talent in him, but he wasn’t truly able to put it on display until this season.
Each Queensland player will know their job and if they’re able to perform like they did in the first two matches, then expect a whitewash.
New South Wales coach Brad Fittler’s job may be on the line in this third game and the Blues desperately need a win if they want to get something positive out of this Origin campaign.
I strongly believe this won’t happen, and rarely is the following sentence said, but Queensland will simply be too good.
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