State of Origin Game 2: Mitchell Moses set for NSW recall, Stefano Utoikamanu, Reece Robson to debut
In a desperate bid to save the Origin series – and his job – NSW coach Brad Fittler will make five changes from Game I, while handing a Blues recall to Eels star Mitchell Moses.
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In a desperate bid to save the series – and his job – NSW coach Brad Fittler is expected to make five changes for State of Origin II and recall Parramatta halfback Mitch Moses.
It comes as South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell has been medically cleared to help the under-pressure Blues.
Moses, who played one Origin game in 2021, torched Canterbury on Monday and is ready to light up Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday week.
Wests Tigers’ Stefano Utoikamanu and North Queensland’s Reece Robson are the bolters, with the latter to replace Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes in the bench utility role.
Hynes and Canterbury’s Tevita Pangai Jr have been dropped after the loss in Adelaide, while Nathan Cleary and Api Koroisau are unavailable through injury.
Canberra’s Hudson Young has retained his spot in the back row.
Utoikamanu, NSW’s 19th man from Origin I, has won a spot ahead of Newcastle’s Daniel Saifiti, Penrith’s Spencer Leniu and Parramatta’s Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
Parramatta’s Junior Paulo will potentially start for Pangai Jr, while Penrith’s Liam Martin will be named despite concussion concerns.
Star centre from Origin I, Stephen Crichton, is expected to move back to 18th man as cover for Mitchell (calf).
South Sydney forward Keaon Koloamatangi will be called into the squad as 19th man for game two.
Fittler will officially unveil his side at 11am on Tuesday.
Likely team
1 James Tedesco Roosters
2 Josh Addo-Carr Bulldogs
3 Latrell Mitchell Rabbitohs
4 Tom Trbojevic Sea Eagles
5 Brian To’o Panthers
6 Jarome Luai Panthers
7 Mitchell Moses Eels
8 Payne Haas Broncos
9 Damien Cook Rabbitohs
10 Junior Paulo Eels
11 Tyson Frizell Knights
12 Hudson Young Raiders
13 Isaah Yeo Panthers
14 Reece Robson Cowboys
15 Cameron Murray Rabbitohs
16 Liam Martin Panthers
17 Stefano Utoikamanu Tigers
18 Stephen Crichton Panthers
19 Keaon Koloamatangi Rabbitohs
Robson was the first player to check into Blues camp at the Crowne Plaza in Coogee at around 7pm on Monday night.
Speaking for the first time since his Blues call-up, Robson said Fittler rang him with the news of his selection earlier that day.
“He (Fittler) just said ‘get on a flight at 3.30pm and see you down here,” Robson said.
“Yeah, I am very excited. I’m looking forward to getting into camp and getting into it.
“It’s a great honour to play for your state and amongst the boys that I will play alongside. I can’t wait to rip in.”
Fittler was spotted greeting Robson at the team hotel before the dummy half then joined other coaching staff for dinner.
Fittler and selector Greg Alexander arrived at Coogee just before 6.30pm having spent the afternoon out at Accor Stadium to watch a number of Blues hopefuls in the Parramatta and Canterbury game.
Mitchell, sidelined since injuring his calf while in camp with the Blues in the lead-up to the opening Origin game, trained on Monday morning at South Sydney’s headquarters with NSW medical staff watching on.
He emerged with his Origin chances on track, albeit on the understanding that he won’t resume full training until Sunday. The decision rests in Fittler’s hands but it seems hard to believe the NSW coach won’t take arguably his most important player into camp as they prepare to take on their Suncorp Stadium hoodoo.
Mitchell’s South Sydney teammates Cameron Murray (groin) and Cody Walker (quad) have also been given the thumbs up to play but like Mitchell, on the understanding that they won’t resume full training until Sunday.
Murray is considered a certainty. Walker is in a dogfight for a spot in the halves as the Blues prepare to make a raft of changes in an attempt to keep the series alive in Brisbane, Mitchell among them.
Mitchell may be the most significant change from the side that lost the opening game in Adelaide. The bigger the stage, the better Mitchell plays and stages don’t come any bigger than a sold-out Suncorp Stadium on Origin night.
His return appears on track after South Sydney invited Blues doctor Nathan Gibbs and head physio Dan Lawson to their Heffron Park training headquarters on Monday morning as Mitchell, Murray and Walker underwent a series of tests as part of their rehabilitations.
“We went down there to check basically whether they were any hope and whether they should be considered for selection,” Gibbs said. “Cam Murray he was injured the weekend before last so he is probably 11 days down the track. His strain was actually worse than Cody’s quad strain was in terms of degree.
“He was running pain-free. That was a good sign for him. Latrell has been purposely off any running for two weeks.
“He did his first loading session today with some indoor drilling. It felt great. He felt fine. They’re all on the same range – rehab running Wednesday, increasing the tempo into some training on Friday, into normal speed on Sunday.
“That will be the advice to Freddie. It is his call on what he wants to do.”
NSW have invited Souths head physio Eddie Farah to help oversee Mitchell and Murray on Wednesday and potentially Friday in a show of goodwill.
There had been some talk that the relationship between NSW and the clubs was at a low ebb but the decision to extend an invitation to Farah should help put that talk to rest.
“Eddie Farah, their long-time head physio, who is excellent, he let us come in to show us what he was doing today,” Gibbs said.
“We have certainly invited him to come in on Wednesday with that rehab progression. It is a really mutual relationship.
“He helped us and we are helping him. It is a collaborative approach which I think is a really good thing.
“It is a balancing act between getting your best players or preferred players to the game against how much training we have to give them in order for them to play well.”
INJURED BLUES STAR SET TO BE CLEARED
—Dean Ritchie, Brent Read
In a major boost for NSW, powerful forward Liam Martin is poised to be declared fit for Origin II in Brisbane.
Martin, one of NSW’s best in Adelaide, sustained a category one head knock playing for Penrith against Sydney Roosters on Saturday night.
Under strict NRL concussion protocols, Martin faces an 11-day stand-down and must report no further symptoms before being medically cleared to play.
The game falls on Martin’s eleventh day of stand-down.
Martin text messaged his manager Allan Gainey on Monday to reveal he was “feeling good.”
Gainey said Martin also wrote: “No symptoms (over) the last couple of days.”
Provided Martin is cleared medically, he will be in NSW’s side for the big game on Wednesday week.
Under NRL rules, all players with a category one head knock must pass a mandatory six-stage return to sport protocol.
Provided Martin can pass those ongoing protocols, he could return to NSW training later in the week.
Contact training is the final stage of the process before playing.
NSW medical staff would also need to issue Martin with a clearance.
Players can return to play before their 11-days but must secure a medical exemption that has to be ultimately approved by the NRL.
‘WORST IN A LONG TIME’: DID HYNES HAND MOSES NSW JUMPER?
—Dean Ritchie
Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes’ State of Origin audition became a complete train wreck in Melbourne on Sunday – now it’s over to Mitchell Moses to become NSW’s kingpin on the King’s birthday.
Has it now become a two-horse race for Nathan Cleary’s vacant NSW No 7 jumper between Parramatta’s Moses and Brisbane’s Adam Reynolds, the Suncorp Stadium specialist?
A bold and assertive performance from Moses against Canterbury at Accor Stadium on the holiday Monday may just about end the halfback debate.
Blues coach Brad Fittler, desperate to stave off a Queensland series win, will announce his NSW side on Tuesday morning for Origin II in Brisbane on Wednesday week.
Hynes tried desperately hard for Cronulla against the Storm but his game fell apart under pressure. He endured a forgettable opening half – as did the entire Cronulla team – in his side’s humiliating 54-10 loss.
To blame one player, Hynes, would be unfair but he is the Sharks’ chief playmaker. He didn’t deserve such a horrible performance in such a big game after a stellar 18 months of footy.
Former NSW five-eighth Braith Anasta said at halftime: “That 40 minutes was one of his (Hynes) worst in a long time.”
Ex-NSW and Sharks champion Paul Gallen, when asked about Hynes’ opening half, said on Channel 9: “It was 40 minutes he’d want to put behind him.”
Melbourne’s second try came through a poor Hynes pass, which was fumbled by Sifa Talakai, and led to Will Warbrick crossing out wide. Moments later Hynes threw a loose pass which was accepted by the Storm.
Unbelievably, just minutes later, Hynes, who was desperately trying to create something, threw another poor pass which was knocked on.
Hynes then kicked on the third tackle with Melbourne, gifted strong field position, scoring. A Hynes missed tackle on Cam Munster – the Queensland five-eighth – led to another late first half try. Melbourne led 34-6 at halftime.
“Unfortunately for Nicho, he has come up with a couple of poor decisions,” former Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said on Fox League.
At full-time, Matty Johns said Hynes experienced a “difficult afternoon”, while Nathan Hindmarsh said Hynes “looked as though he had Origin selection in the back of his mind.”
A second half Hynes goal line drop out didn’t go the required 10 metres. His kicking options were defective.
Moses is understood to have started round 15 slightly in front of Hynes and Reynolds, who scored the matchwinning try – and kicked four goals – against Newcastle on Saturday to gently remind Fittler of his capabilities under pressure.
The Eels-Bulldogs game will include six players – Moses, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo (Parramatta) along with Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr and Tevita Pangai Jr Jnr (Canterbury) – in the Origin frame along with Eels forward J’maine Hopgood, a Queensland hopeful.
“Mitch is in-from, he’s ready to go, he’s played Origin before, he’s in a Parramatta side which is improving each week, he’s matured as a player and has a great kicking game,” said Moses uncle Ben Elias, a NSW Origin great.
“He has an incredibly strong mindset these days, nothing distracts him and the Suncorp Stadium cauldron wouldn’t intimidate him.”
Reynolds has an insatiable hunger to return to NSW having lost both his Origin appearances back in 2016.
“It’s beyond my control. If I’m selected then great, if I don’t then I will still be cheering on the Blues,” Reynolds said post-match on Saturday. “I have played my game (this weekend) and probably wasn’t at my best.
“I know the game a lot better now (than 2016) and I’m a lot more confident in my own game. I know what I do well and what I don’t do well. I know my strengths and weaknesses.”
Remembering Fittler’s preference for club combinations, the key question will be whether picking Reynolds would mean his former Souths teammate Cody Walker is also selected.
Fittler is also certain to name Souths players Latrell Mitchell, injury-pending, and Damien Cook.
HAAS: REYNOLDS IS READY FOR RECALL
—Peter Badel
Broncos and Blues enforcer Payne Haas has appealed for NSW coach Brad Fittler to pick Brisbane maestro Adam Reynolds in a bid to save the series in Origin II.
Reynolds rammed home why he can be the Blues’ halfback saviour after the Broncos skipper scored a late winning try on Saturday night to break Newcastle’s hearts and inspire Brisbane’s 24-20 great escape at Suncorp Stadium.
It is the very venue at which NSW must conjure victory against Queensland on Wednesday week to avoid a second consecutive series defeat and if any playmaker knows every blade of Suncorp, it is Broncos champion Reynolds.
With first-choice halfback Nathan Cleary sidelined for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, Fittler is mulling over the claims of Reynolds, Origin I bench debutant Nicho Hynes and Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses.
Moses has one final chance to impress in Monday’s clash against the Bulldogs before the NSW team is officially unveiled on Tuesday, but Blues prop Haas says Fittler can no longer ignore his Broncos captain.
“I am probably biased because I am his teammate but I feel like Reyno is ready,” Haas said.
“He has been one of the form halfbacks this year and the last few years.
“I am hoping he gets picked and I reckon he should.”
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