{"id":707162,"date":"2026-05-31T23:28:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T23:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/707162\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T23:28:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T23:28:12","slug":"paul-crawley-eleven-changes-and-six-new-faces-brutal-calls-daley-must-make-to-avoid-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/707162\/","title":{"rendered":"Paul Crawley: ELEVEN changes and six new faces: Brutal calls Daley must make to avoid disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

As if Laurie Daley didn\u2019t already have a big enough headache counting down to Origin II, the job for the NSW coach just became a lot more complicated after another huge weekend of NRL action.<\/p>\n

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On one hand NSW got away with a win in Sydney \u2014 so usually that means the less changes the better.<\/p>\n

But we all know the circumstances that led to the Blues\u2019 amazing comeback.<\/p>\n

And you\u2019d hope Daley isn\u2019t banking on Kalyn Ponga getting sent off twice.<\/p>\n

So the job now for the most under-pressure winning Origin coach in history is to come up with a Blues team moving forward where Daley rewards the players who deserve to be rewarded.<\/p>\n

But he also makes the necessary changes so the Blues don\u2019t potentially fall for the same mistakes twice.<\/p>\n

Here is my early line-up for game two that includes six new faces and 11 positional changes.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll kick off with Casey McLean who must start at left centre in game two. Ditto Ethan Strange after the ridiculous talk Mitchell Moses should be rushed back into the five-eighth role.<\/p>\n

Jacob Kiraz is another who cannot be overlooked after his back-to-back powerhouse performances for the Bulldogs, while hard-working Warriors forward Jackson Forward surely can\u2019t be overlooked a second time.<\/p>\n

The other bolter has to be the tearaway Newcastle backrower Dylan Lucas, while Api Koroisau comes in for the injured Blayke Brailey, and Payne Haas\u2019 return is matter of course.<\/p>\n

For what it\u2019s worth here is my 19-man NSW squad for game two (providing they all get through next round unscathed).<\/p>\n

1 James Tedesco, 2 Brian To\u2019o, 3 Casey McLean, 4 Stephen Crichton, 5 Jacob Kiraz, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 Payne Haas, 9 Reece Robson, 10 Isaah Yeo, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Haumole Olakau\u2019atu, 13 Cameron Murray. Bench: 14 Jackson Ford, 15 Victor Radley, 16 Dylan Lucas, 17 Api Koroisau, 18 Mitchell Moses, 19 Tolu Koula.<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/p>\n

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McLean stars again after Origin debut | 06:59<\/p>\n

MCLEAN IN, STAGGS OUT<\/p>\n

After watching McLean star in the Panthers\u2019 tremendous win over the Warriors, it\u2019s an absolute no-brainer that the Panthers\u2019 20-year-old sensation now starts as NSW left centre ahead of Stephen Crichton in game two.<\/p>\n

Backing up what he did off the bench for the Blues, McLean finished with two tries in what was undoubtedly one of the best performances we\u2019ve seen from a centre this season.<\/p>\n

And it was McLean\u2019s second try scored off the Jack Cogger bomb in the first half that just highlighted the incredible confidence this youngster is playing with right now, combined with his extraordinary athleticism and raw power.<\/p>\n

McLean also came up with a desperate try saving tackle in the dying minutes of the standout game of the season so far that would not have escaped Daley\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

Casey McLean starred on debut for the BluesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n

And with confirmation over the weekend Latrell Mitchell definitely won\u2019t be available for game two<\/a>, it would be madness to leave McLean out.<\/p>\n

Whether that means moving the man previously known as the NRL\u2019s best centre in Crichton back to the right edge and punting Kotoni Staggs is another decision Daley will have to make.<\/p>\n

For mine Crichton narrowly edges out Staggs on the fact he is a proven big game performer, while that play where Crichton combined with Strange for a crucial NSW try in game one just gets him over the line.<\/p>\n

Whatever the case, McLean is now the non-negotiable.<\/p>\n

KIRAZ DEMANDS A BLUES CALL UP<\/p>\n

After starring in his return from injury against Melbourne last round, Kiraz produced another blockbusting performance at fullback despite the Bulldogs going down to the Tigers.<\/p>\n

Kiraz smashed out 267 metres from 24 carries including a try, seven tackle busts, six offloads and 40 post-contact metres.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d have him ahead of Tolu Koula purely because Kiraz is a specialist winger and what he brings coming out of yardage is second to none.<\/p>\n

Koula could move back to the extended bench as cover for the outside backs.<\/p>\n

Newcastle hold off determined Eels | 04:29<\/p>\n

BATTLE OF THE BIG MEN<\/p>\n

Dylan Lucas was also outstanding with two tries in the Knights\u2019 win over Parramatta<\/a> to make an irresistible push for a bench spot given he can also cover centre.<\/p>\n

Jacob Saifiti was also a man on a mission in this game after failing to get on the field for NSW.<\/p>\n

With and without the ball Saifiti made his presence felt in what was surely a statement to Daley not to ignore him given all the talk that he will be the forward squeezed out to make way for Payne Haas\u2019 return.<\/p>\n

The problem for Saifiti is a bloke named Jackson Ford who was again tremendous for the Warriors.<\/p>\n

And while Addin Fonua-Blake was strong for the Sharks, it wasn\u2019t at the same level as Ford\u2019s non-stop effort where he pushed out a phenomenal 50 tackles as well as 15 runs for 102m.<\/p>\n

Ford\u2019s energy off the ball competing for all the one percenters like kick pressure is the other factor that should not be underestimated.<\/p>\n

For mine, it also puts Ford ahead of his own Warriors teammate Mitch Barnett, who could pay the price for being rested for this game.<\/p>\n

I just worry Barnett is a bit underdone given the lack of footy he\u2019s played this year.<\/p>\n

One way or another, Haas will return while Cameron Murray also must start game two at lock, pushing Isaah Yeo into the front row, which is going to mean a shake-up to the Blues\u2019 forward rotation regardless.<\/p>\n

Haas pushed out an incredible 233m from 19 runs in his return from injury in the Broncos\u2019 shock loss to the Dragons that included eight tackle busts and a linebreak.<\/p>\n

Ricky full of praise for Strange | 06:27<\/p>\n

STRANGE ENDS DEBATE ABOUT BLUES NO 6<\/p>\n

As for any debate about dropping Strange back to the bench to make way for Moses\u2019 return, that should end right now.<\/p>\n

It was silly to start with and it is even more ridiculous after watching Strange\u2019s strong performance backing up in the Raiders\u2019 win over the Cowboys.<\/p>\n

They always say it is a sign of an Origin player how he backs up for his club.<\/p>\n

Ethan Strange has sparked a selection dilemma.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n

And on the back of a memorable debut, Strange was tremendous on Sunday with a try, a try assist and two linebreak assists.<\/a><\/p>\n

It would be crazy to put him back to the bench and even risk him potentially not getting on the field just when he is just starting to really hit top gear this season.<\/p>\n

Moses, who again missed the Eels\u2019 loss to the Knights, still provides great cover for both halves positions on the bench if he is fit to play.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As if Laurie Daley didn\u2019t already have a big enough headache counting down to Origin II, the job…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":707163,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[343999,343994,344002,343996,344000,343997,4614,64,63,343993,343995,5079,4532,344003,344005,4591,344006,323909,150370,82652,5094,5098,4593,104452,344001,343685,1082,27146,5332,10750,22326,761,762,158,11396,275250,13385,7291,200325,344004,85,5080,78652,11375,7619,28816,343998],"class_list":["post-707162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-16-dylan-lucas","tag-3-casey-mclean","tag-4-stephen-crichton","tag-5-jacob-kiraz","tag-8-payne-haas","tag-absolute-no-brainer","tag-addin-fonua-blake","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-back-to-back-powerhouse-performances","tag-blockbusting-performance","tag-cameron-murray","tag-canberra-raiders","tag-changes-laurie-daley","tag-desperate-try","tag-dylan-edwards","tag-extraordinary-athleticism","tag-game-performer","tag-halves-positions","tag-hudson-young","tag-isaah-yeo","tag-ivan-cleary","tag-jack-cogger","tag-joe-tapine","tag-kick-pressure","tag-ladder-clash-win","tag-latrell-mitchell","tag-linebreak-assists","tag-losing-streak","tag-mitch-barnett","tag-mitchell-moses","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-paul-crawley","tag-post-contact-metres","tag-queensland-maroons","tag-ricky-stuart","tag-selection-dilemmas","tag-specialist-winger","tag-sports","tag-stand-in-skipper","tag-standout-game","tag-tackle-busts","tag-try-assist","tag-try-scored","tag-under-pressure-winning"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=707162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707162\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/707163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=707162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=707162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=707162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}