Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns says Brad Fittler faces a number of “big decisions” over the make up of the New South Wales team for State of Origin II.
The Blues must replicate the feat of Phil Gould‘s 1994 team if they’re to win the series, by winning both remaining matches away from home.
That follows Queensland’s 16-10 win at Accor Stadium on Wednesday night.
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The Blues were forced to name an all-new centre combination for game one, with incumbents Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell both missing through injury.
Mitchell is the most likely inclusion in the 17 for game two, although there’s still doubt about whether or not he’ll turn out for Souths before the team is named. The 24-year-old is currently in isolation after testing positive to COVID-19, but could take the field for the Rabbitohs against the Dragons in round 15.
The injured Kotoni Staggs would be the obvious candidate to make way for Mitchell’s return to the starting side, but that then poses a problem for Fittler.
Both Mitchell and Jack Wighton, who was arguably the Blues’ best in game one, would usually line up at left centre.
Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour, Johns said there was only one obvious solution.
“I don’t think you can move Jack from left centre,” he said.
“So, can Latrell play on the right? They’re both left-hand dominant players. They both run with the ball in their left hand. Jack Wighton’s a left-foot stepper, right-hand fender. That’s Latrell. Same same.
“You can play Latrell anywhere, there’s some big decisions to be made.”
Johns said Mitchell’s experience at fullback makes him the logical candidate to shift to the right side.
“Jack plays left-field dominant when he plays five-eighth. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jack swing around and play much on the right side.
“Latrell, when he’s playing fullback, he looks just as effective anywhere on the field. He’s got that great left-to-right passing, which would suit being on the right.
“It’s probably a question Freddy will have with Latrell: Can you play right?”
Elsewhere, the former New South Wales skipper flagged changes in the forwards, including a potential recall for Manly’s Jake Trbojevic.
“I think Cam Murray maybe has to go into the middle. He started on the bench but then when to an edge. Whether we were too big in the middle, we had three really big guys in there,” Johns said.
“Whether Jake comes back. Jake does all that dirty work, harasses kickers, leads the speed of the line, cuts guys in half.
“The best teams I ever played in at Origin were in the early 2000s when we had (Danny) Buderus and (Craig) Wing.
“I think we have to have a thought about having two dummy halves.”
Game two is in Perth on June 26.
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