Former NSW Blues captain Paul Gallen has revealed the one decision that “surprised” him after Laurie Daley named his squad for game two.
Daley will have a relatively unchanged forward pack going into the MCG fixture next Wednesday, with Jacob Saifiti – who didn’t play off the bench in Origin I – dropped due to the return of Payne Haas.
Paul Gallen on 100% Footy. Nine
Liam Martin missed out on Origin I due to injury but played 80 minutes for Penrith at the weekend against the Tigers. That wasn’t enough to earn him a recall, much to Gallen’s curiosity.
“I’m surprised Liam Martin hasn’t been picked, he’s been back for a couple of weeks now and in my opinion is probably the game’s best back-rower and has been for a number of years,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“… I’m shocked Liam Martin isn’t in the side, I thought he would’ve been picked for sure.”
On the panel, Gallen and Andrew Johns both said Casey McLean should also be in the starting side. Even Maroons selector Darren Lockyer agreed.
“I didn’t realise how big he was and how mobile he is,” Lockyer said of McLean.
The Maroons great added he’d have Mitch Moses on the bench and Ethan Strange remain in the halves, with Cameron Murray at lock and Isaah Yeo playing prop.
Daley, over an hour after naming his squad, was hit by news that Stephen Crichton won’t be fit enough to play Origin II.
Gallen, before learning about Crichton’s injury, already wanted McLean on the wing with Tolu Koula at centre.
Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin previously playing for NSW. Getty
“This is a do-or-die match, we need to win this,” he said.
“We do not need to be going up to Suncorp in a decider. We’ve only won two or three games in history up there for the decider so we want to win down in Melbourne to sew this up and we need to pick our best team possible. For me that’s McLean on the wing and Koula in the centres.”