New South Wales coach Brett Fittler has rung the changes ahead of Origin II, recalling Jake Trbojevic and handing Siosifa Talakai his Blues debut as Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs is among those dropped.
The squad named by the Blues coach on Sunday contains seven changes from the New South Wales team that 16-10 in Sydney on June 8.
Trbojevic return to the Origin arena after being a surprise omission for Game 1, after featuring in every game for NSW under Fittler in which he’d been available.
Manly prop Jake Trbojevic has been named in New South Wales squad for Origin II
‘His [Trbojevic’s] last four to six weeks have been fantastic,’ Fittler said on the Sunday Footy Show. Everyone sees it in his face, in his actions with everything he does. He just works so hard for his team.’
Apisai Koroisau is back in the team 12 months after he was threatened with a Blues ban for breaching Covid-19 protocols ahead of Game 2 of last year’s series.
Talakai, meanwhile, is set to make his Origin debut in Perth next week following a breakout season for the Sharks.
Sydney Roosters lock Victor Radley and teammate Angus Crichton have also been named in the 22, along with Parramatta co-captain Clint Gutherson and North Queensland prop Jordan McLean.
Roosters lock Victor Radley is a surprise selection for NSW having not played since Round 10
Bulldogs five-eight Matt Burton has been picked and is expected to start at centre in Game 2
Siosifa Talakai will make his Origin debut after a breakthrough season with Cronulla
Radley is a surprise inclusion as he has not played for the Roosters since their win over Parramatta in Round 10 and has since undergone surgery for a syndesmosis injury.
Bulldogs five-eight Matt Burton has been named in the side and is expected to start at centre, the role he played in for the Panthers last season.
There is, however, no place for Burton’s teammate Josh Addo-Carr, who was a controversial omission for the series opener.
The Canterbury flyer had played in the previous 12 Origin games up until this year and a recall had been mooted after he scored five tries in the past two games.
But Broncos star Kotoni Staggs has been dropped after making his Origin debut in Game 1
Addo-Carr missed out on selection again with Roosters winger Daniel Tupou retaining his spot.
Meanwhile, Eels duo Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Ryan Matterson, are among the players dropped along with Staggs, who made his Origin debut in Game 1, and St George forward Tariq Sims.
Tyson Frizell and his Newcastle teammate Jacob Saifiti are both omitted, while Jack Wighton, meanwhile, misses out after contracting Covid-19 earlier this week.
The Raiders star had been feeling unwell and returned a positive test on Friday afternoon, ruling him out of Canberra’s against Newcastle.
Blues coach Brad Fittler has rung the changes for New South Wales ahead of Game 2
Wighton’s absence is a big blow for the Blues, as the centre one of their standout performers in Game 1, when he scored the opening try of the contest.
It also means Fittler will have to again reshuffle his pack in the centres, with Crichton, who was on the bench in Sydney a fortnight ago, set to come into the starting team.
‘He’s going to be a huge loss. He was our best player, he was our toughest player. He played the game like it should be, really direct and physical,’ Fittler said.
‘We are going to miss him. We need other players to be channeling Jack, play like he did.’
Jack Wighton will miss the second State of Origin game after testing positive to Covid-19
New South Wales are also still without reigning Dally M medallist Tom Trbjoevic, Souths star fullback Latrell Mitchell and his Storm counterpart Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Trbojevic is out for the season after dislocating his shoulder last month, while Mitchell and Papenhuyzen have overcome hamstring injuries only to contract Covid-19.
While Mitchell has recovered from Covid, he is yet to play from the Rabbitohs and only recently resumed training.
‘He was knocked around [by Covid],’ Fittler said of the star fullback on Channel Nine. ‘He has only had one proper session. Latrell won’t be available.’