Wayne Bennett played massive to avoid three direct losses in the State of Origin series by naming eight players on the Queensland side for Game I.
Breakout full-back AJ Brimson replaces Kalyn Ponga, Roosters veteran Jake Friend wins the jersey number 9 race, while Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Coen Hess also start.
Bennett’s Baby Maroons take on a blues side where Star Rooster’s playmaker Luke Keary finally makes his debut alongside reigning halfback Nathan Cleary while Brad Fittler is forced to leave the deck for the back-to-back due to a series of injuries Mixing Champion Blues.
The teams have yet to be officially announced but were posted on the QRL and NSWRL websites at the start of the game I drew.
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James Tedesco has been named full-back but faces a fitness test on an injured knee while Clive Churcill Medal winner Ryan Papenhuyzen missed a bench with a calf injury sustained in Melbourne’s grand final .
The curse of the fullback injury had already claimed Tom Trbojevic for the series, which meant a start for Dally M-Fullback of the year Clint Gutherson in the right center.
Elsewhere, Rooster’s flyer Daniel Tupou earns his first Origin start in five years, Eel’s wrecking ball Junior Paulo joins Daniel Saifiti in the front row, and Reagan Campbell-Gillard misses 17th.
Angus Crichton, Payne Haas, Cameron Murray and Cody Walker make up the bank.
There are new faces everywhere for Bennett’s Queenslanders.
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Despite the regular staples at skipper Daly-Cherry Evans, Cameron Munster, Josh Papalii, Christian Welch, Dane Gagai, Felise Kaufusi and the exchange players Jai Arrow and Ben Hunt, this is a bit of an experience.
But Bennett is betting on form to break the two-year defeat.
The new center pairing of Brenko Lee and Gagai is accompanied by Brimson, Phillip Sami and Broncos teen sensation Xavier Coates in an unfamiliar backline. Welch and Papalii book Friend in the front row, while Bennett relies on Fa’asuamaleaui to debut in 13th place instead of Arrow.
There are also debuts on the bench for Rooster’s bruiser Lindsay Collins and Rabbitoh’s runner-up Jaydn Su’A.
NSW BLUES
1. James German
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Clint Gutherson *
4. Jack Wighton
5. Josh Addo-Carr
Luke Keary *
7. Nathan Cleary
8. Daniel Saifiti
9. Damien Cook
10. Junior Paulo *
11. Boyd Cordner (c)
12. Tyson Frizell
13. Jake Trbojevic
Exchange: 14. Cody Walker 15. Payne Haas 16. Cameron Murray 17. Angus Crichton
Trainer: Brad Fittler
QLD MAROONS
1. AJ Brimson *
2. Xavier Coates *
3. Brenko Lee *
4. Gagai dates
5. Phillip Sami *
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
8. Christian Welch
9. Jake Friend *
10. Josh Papalii
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. Coen Hess
13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui *
Exchange: 14. Ben Hunt 15. Lindsay Collins * 16. Jai Arrow 17. Jaydn Su’A *
Trainer: Wayne Bennett
* DENOTES ORIGIN ROOKIES
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