NSW legend Andrew Johns has locked in his preferred 17 for the first State of Origin game of 2022, with no room for Manly veteran Jake Trbojevic.
On his interchange bench, Johns preached loyalty for a couple of last year’s heroes, opting to include Knights prop Daniel Saifiti and Dragons backrower Tariq Sims, despite patchy club form.
But there was no room for the Manly lock.
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“Daniel’s been out of form, he’s even admitted that – but I think the loyalty has to be shown to some players,” Johns told Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and The Eighth.
“He’s done the job the last two, three years and I think getting into Origin could give him a really good boost, very similar to Tariq.
“I think Tariq has never let the state down, never let Freddy down, never let his teammates down, and he’s a big match player.”
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Johns opted for the duo of Kotoni Staggs and Stephen Crichton in the centres, ahead of the likes of Siosifa Talakai, Matt Burton, Campbell Graham and Dragons star Zac Lomax.
Paul Gallen picked the same centre pairing as Johns in his NSW 17 for game one, selected for Wide World of Sports, while Phil Gould urged Blues selectors to give Burton a go.
“Right centre, I think he pretty much picks himself – Kotoni,” Johns said.
“And then at left centre, even though he plays on the right, I think he can play anywhere, is Stephen Crichton.”
Both incumbent centres, Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell, will miss the game through injuries – the majority of the rest of the team is more or less as you’d expect.
Coach Brad Fittler said that even if Souths captain Cameron Murray doesn’t play this weekend for the Rabbitohs as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury, he would still be in the frame for selection if he was ready to go by the following Wednesday.
“We will be going on advice from Travis Touma, who’s their [Souths’] trainer and our [NSW] trainer. He’s a part of our plans, he’s a really good player,” Fittler said.
“There’s a squad of 22 so there’s a big chance regardless of what happens that he’ll be a part of our 22.”
Andrew Johns’ full NSW team:
1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Junior Paulo 9. Damien Cook 10. Payne Haas 11. Liam Martin 12. Cameron Murray 13. Isaah Yeo Bench: 14. Jack Wighton 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Tariq Sims 17. Angus Crichton.
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