NRL great PAUL GALLEN will appear on Nine’s 100% FOOTY every Monday night of the NRL season, debating rugby league’s hottest topics alongside Phil Gould and James Bracey. Tune in LIVE at 7.30pm (AEST) on 9Now tonight following a bumper round 15!
Most of the changes Michael Maguire made to his New South Wales team for game two didn’t really surprise me.
But there was one bloke I definitely thought was unlucky to be dropped, and another who was mighty unlucky not to be brought in.
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Cameron McInnes was pretty good at lock during his State of Origin debut a fortnight ago, in my opinion.
I was a bit surprised to see he has made way for Connor Watson on the Blues bench.
Obviously Cameron Murray was going to come into the starting side after returning from injury, but I definitely thought McInnes could have been our bench utility in Melbourne.
And if not McInnes, I’m not sure why Matt Burton didn’t get the job.
Burton has been our 18th man for three or four games, and suddenly when we make five changes he can’t get a look-in?
He could have made the perfect bench utility if that’s what Madge was after.
McInnes played halfback for the Sharks against the Storm in round 10 and they won that game 25-18.
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He’s also played plenty of games as a starting hooker at NRL level, and can obviously play any other position in the forward pack.
The Watson selection was a bit of a bolt from the blue.
I know there were rumours around him before game one, but they were a bit ear-pricking to me given where they came from.
But obviously there was truth to them and now Madge has pulled the trigger on bringing him into the line-up.
I think Watson will do a good job, don’t get me wrong.
And this won’t be the end of McInnes at Origin level – you never know what’s going to happen down the track and he is a good enough player to get back in the team.
Overall I think the Blues have picked a strong team that can win in Melbourne next week.
There were inevitably going to be changes after losing game one – even if that result was largely dictated by a send-off in the seventh minute.
Nicho Hynes is a bit unlucky to be dropped but to be honest Mitchell Moses probably would have been the halfback for game one if he wasn’t injured, anyway.
Moses was sensational in his return game for the Eels, although the fact Parramatta has since lost two in a row is a bit concerning.
But if Moses can even just kick the way he did in that first game back from injury, it will give the Blues a big boost.
And don’t worry about Nicho – he’s an elite player and he is strong enough to bounce back from this. It won’t be the last we see of him in a NSW jumper.
James Tedesco didn’t do much wrong in game one – he never does – but Dylan Edwards was always going to come back in at fullback.
Edwards was unlucky to be injured before game one after being picked for his debut, so it makes sense to bring him back in now he’s fit.
And Latrell Mitchell is a big addition to the line-up following the Joseph Suaalii suspension.
I thought Latrell should have been in the team for game one
It’s a bit hard on him now that they’ve essentially issued an SOS to help salvage the series and avoid a dead rubber in Brisbane.
And Latrell can certainly produce the individual brilliance that can win an Origin game – but it’s up to the NSW forwards to give him the opportunity to do so.
If the Blues find themselves on the back foot and coming out of trouble all night then Latrell will struggle to have an impact on the game.
The likes of Brian To’o and Zac Lomax will need to do the work coming out of trouble, because that’s not Latrell’s game.
But if the NSW forwards can win the middle and get the Blues in good attacking positions during the game, that’s when we should see Latrell come into his own.
This Blues team can definitely win in Melbourne and force a series decider at Suncorp Stadium.
I can’t wait to see what they produce.