Andrew Johns has picked his Blues team for game two, revealing a “real worry” and the player Laurie Daley “has to” select in the starting side.
After taking out the State of Origin series opener in dramatic fashion, NSW are expected to make a handful of changes before the June 17 clash in Melbourne.
Laurie Daley could make changes for game two. Getty
Payne Haas will be an automatic selection after coming back from a knee injury, while the push for Casey McLean to nab a starting spot is growing by the day.
However, according to Johns, the biggest issue will be whether Mitchell Moses can prove his fitness, especially after he was ruled out of the Eels’ round 14 match.
Moses was a late scratching from game one due to a hamstring injury and is racing the clock to line up for the Blues.
Reports suggest the Parramatta captain will be selected by coach Daley, which would see Ethan Strange revert to the bench despite a spectacular Origin debut in Sydney last week.
Johns is adamant Moses would need to be back sprinting early in camp next week and would have no dramas leaving Strange in the No.6 jumper if required.
“This is a real worry for me,” he said on Nine’s Freddy and The Eighth.
“He won’t play this weekend, so for me on day one or day two in Origin camp, he has to sprint to show he’s ready to rock and roll.
Mitchell Moses remains in doubt for game two. Getty
“If he’s fit it means he [Strange] goes back to 14 which is unfortunate, he was nearly man of the match.”
NSW great and former coach Brad Fittler echoed those sentiments, but said Moses could be given until late in the first week of Origin camp after sitting out Monday’s game for his club side.
“That gives you nine days to get ready for an Origin and he needs to show early – he needs to be right by Friday,” Fittler said.
“If you drag someone on that entire time, it just makes it harder for the next Wednesday when they play … but I’ve got him in the team as well.”
Aside from the injury concern, Johns is calling for a change to the Blues’ forward pack, pleading with Daley to promote Cameron Murray to lock.
“He has to start and play huge minutes, which puts Isaah Yeo up to No.10 as more of a run threat and [Mitch] Barnett back to the bench,” he said.
Johns also believes Api Koroisau will earn a recall with Blayke Brailey sidelined, while front-rower Addin Fonua-Blake has been axed from his 19-man team.
The last two names on Johns’ team list would be potential debutants in Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz and Knights back-rower Dylan Lucas.
Fittler preferred to have Matt Burton on his six-man bench to offer halves coverage should either Moses, Strange or Nathan Cleary go down mid-game.
Andrew Johns’ NSW game two team
1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Tolu Koula 4. Kotoni Staggs 5. Casey McLean 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Payne Haas 9. Reece Robson 10. Isaah Yeo 11. Hudson Young 12. Haumole Olakau’atu 13. Cameron Murray14. Ethan Strange 15. Victor Radley 16. Mitch Barnett 17. Api Koroisau 18. Jacob Kiraz 19. Dylan Lucas
Brad Fittler’s NSW game two team
1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Casey McLean 4. Kotoni Staggs 5. Tolu Koula 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Payne Haas 9. Reece Robson 10. Isaah Yeo 11. Hudson Young 12. Haumole Olakau’atu 13. Cameron Murray 14. Ethan Strange 15. Victor Radley 16. Liam Martin 17. Api Koroisau 18. Mitch Barnett 19. Matt Burton