Tom Trbojevic has been axed, Isaah Yeo is the new skipper and star duo Payne Haas and Stephen Crichton are under an injury cloud after returning coach Laurie Daley announced a new-look Blues team for Origin I on May 28.
The Dally M Medal winner has scored nine tries in 10 State of Origin appearances for NSW but the Manly fullback missed out on a spot in the centres or on the wing as Daley made several changes to the team which regained the shield last year.
>> Squad lists, Maroons selection news
Trbojevic missed the 2024 campaign due to a hamstring injury but had been widely expected to be in the side for the Suncorp Stadium showdown with the Maroons later this month.
Daley has switched Mitchell Moses to the No.6 jersey with Nathan Cleary his partner in the halves, edging out incumbent pivot Jarome Luai.
In bad news for the Blues, Haas could be out after picking up a thigh problem in Brisbane’s loss to the Dragons on Sunday. NSW officials are trying to determine the extent of the problem.
He has been sent for scans which could delay his trip south to Sydney on Monday to join the NSW camp.
Haas had been carrying a back issue in recent weeks and required treatment in Sydney this month, before suffering the quad problem.
Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton also has a thigh issue but is confident he can take the field although the Blues have selected Campbell Graham as his standby player ahead of Trbojevic who was surprisingly not selected at all.
Latrell Mitchell is the other starting centre after strong recent form with Souths.
Canterbury veteran Max King has been called into the NSW squad in what will be the 28-year-old journeyman’s first taste of rep footy after he was sounded out by England earlier this season about potentially switching his allegiances.
Jake Trbojevic suffered a head knock that will rule him out of State of Origin in Manly’s win over North Queensland on Saturday night, with Yeo to inherit the captaincy after leading the Kangaroos at the end of last season.
With an 11-day stand-down rule, Trbojevic would have only been available to resume training with the Blues a few days out from the first Origin match, in Brisbane on May 28.
Trbojevic was forced off the field exactly a month ago after suffering a head knock while trying to tackle St George Illawarra forward David Klemmer, and has been in patchy form in his limited game time this season.
Jake Trbojevic comes from the field. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
He was understood to be doing well on Sunday morning after the frightening collision on Saturday night.
Although Crichton needs to prove his fitness, he is in the clear judiciary wise after copping a grade-one dangerous contact charge that carries with it a $3000 fine after Canterbury’s win over Sydney Roosters on Friday.
Had the Bulldog copped a grade-two charge for putting his shoulder into Lindsay Collins’ head, he would have been looking at a three-match ban.
Parramatta winger Zac Lomax scored two tries and ran for more metres than any other player in Friday night’s 28-6 drubbing of Newcastle – his first game in six weeks due to a foot injury to clinch a wing spot with Penrith’s Brian To’o getting the other spot after a successful return last week from a hamstring problem.
Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz’s chances were dashed when he injured a calf in Friday’s win over the Roosters. He has been ruled out for a month.
Moses’s selection will bring into question how he and Cleary will combine, having never played together before.
Both are also dominant halves at their club, stationed on the right-hand side of the field as right-foot kickers.
Moses has not played five-eighth regularly since his days at Wests Tigers, having been the chief conductor since his arrival at Parramatta in early 2017.
Latrell Mitchell. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Blues team
Origin I
1 Dylan Edwards
2 Brian To’o
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Latrell Mitchell
5 Zac Lomax
6 Mitchell Moses
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Mitch Barnett
9 Reece Robson
10 Payne Haas
11 Angus Crichton
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo (c)
14 Connor Watson
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Hudson Young
17 Max King
18 Campbell Graham
19 Stefano Utoikamanu
20 Haumole Olakau’atu
with AAP
