Panthers centre Casey McLean hasn\u2019t received a phone call yet from Blues coach Laurie Daley, but he says he \u201cwouldn\u2019t turn it down\u201d if NSW officials decided to pick him for the State of Origin opener next month.<\/p>\n
McLean wasn\u2019t an option a few months ago but has now emerged as a genuine candidate thanks to a change in eligibility rules as well as his scorching form on the left for Penrith.<\/p>\n
Still only 19, McLean is already one of the elite centres in the world and showed he can match it with the best after taking it to rep star Stephen Crichton in an all-time battle last year when Penrith beat the Bulldogs. <\/p>\n
McLean, Crichton, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Kotoni Staggs are the leading candidates to play in the centres for NSW, with Daley facing a pleasant selection headache next month. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf the phone call arose, I suppose I wouldn\u2019t be shy to turn it down,\u201d McLean said after starring against the Storm on Friday. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the end of the day, I\u2019m just focusing on my job at Penrith, taking it week by week and not thinking too far ahead of what may be the sort of path. I\u2019m just thinking about how I can put my best foot forward for this team.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLean showed on Friday night that he is always willing to answer calls after the Panthers centre graciously did an interview on his phone because he\u2019d already left the ground before journalists had the chance to get to the Penrith sheds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t had that phone call (from Daley yet),\u201d he said, having represented the under-19s NSW team in 2024. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust because with the new rules that came around, obviously I\u2019ve been representing New Zealand, which is still to me my first option.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d hope to say so (that I\u2019m ready to play Origin). But then again, it just comes down to what\u2019s right for the Blues, and hopefully, if that opportunity comes, I\u2019ll take it with both hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still not quite happy with how I\u2019m defending. We\u2019re still leaking points out our edge, so there are obviously many different ways for improvement throughout that at training.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the teen sensation isn\u2019t happy with his defence, veteran teammate Scott Sorensen says it\u2019s an area of his game that McLean is working on after he chased down Eels centre Sean Russell in round four to deny an otherwise certain try. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf he was called upon, I have no doubt he\u2019d be ready,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that (the Russell tackle) just sums it up right there. Attack is obviously beautiful to watch with his speed and the way that he\u2019s backing himself and scoring some pretty incredible tries.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he\u2019s saving them as well. We speak about a defensive mindset here and it\u2019s awesome that he\u2019s acknowledging that and going after it defensively.\u201d<\/p>\n
NSW and Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary didn\u2019t want to comment on the Origin this far out from game one, but he\u2019s been blown away by what McLean is doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a long, long way away, but what Casey is doing at the moment is quite incredible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s looking more and more dangerous each week, and I think he\u2019s starting to feel that confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that he\u2019s 19 is mind-blowing, but that\u2019s a testament to him and the work he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s coming into training each week and he\u2019s trying to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLean has dominated on the left but is more than happy to switch to the right if required, while he\u2019s shown he can play on the wing as well after scoring four tries on debut for New Zealand back in 2024. <\/p>\n
The decision to play for the Kiwis meant he couldn\u2019t represent the Blues, but that rule no longer exists. <\/p>\n
\u201cAt that time, the thought crossed my mind that I\u2019m not able to represent the junior clubs in Penrith I was able to represent,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the end of the day, the decision wasn\u2019t really too hard because I just wanted to represent my family and where I come from, my father back in New Zealand. That\u2019s a big factor of why I\u2019ve been playing this game for how long I have been.<\/p>\n
\u201cI sat ahead with my parents and my family just thinking what\u2019s best for me, and they kind of just said whatever you think you want to do. <\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to put on the black jersey and represent where my parents come from as a way of giving back to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He has taken his game to freakish new heights since then, with McLean and Tom Jenkins running amok for the Panthers in the opening five rounds.<\/p>\n
The pair have combined for some cracking tries, but none better than McLean\u2019s solo effort against the Storm on Friday where he showed off his footwork, strength and speed to score just before half-time. <\/p>\n
And it\u2019s that sort of individual brilliance that can decide Origin games, which is why this young gun must be in the team on May 27.<\/p>\n