State of Origin 2016: Phil Rothfield names his NSW Blues team for Game One

PHIL “Buzz” Rothfield has chosen the NSW team he believes will win State of Origin 1. Check out his side - and pick your own with our Blues Team Selector!

Phil Rothfield

@BuzzRothfield

less than 2 min read

May 17, 2016 - 1:04PM

Josh Dugan is in the centres in Phil Rothfield’s NSW team for Origin 1. Picture: Gregg Porteous

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IF Mitchell Pearce and his doctors say he is fit to play, the halves for NSW will be among coach Laurie Daley’s easiest choices for State of Origin 1 next month.

There is no question the combination should be Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney.

Fullback will be the biggest talking point.

Do we play Dugan like last year or go for Panthers skipper Matt Moylan?

TEAM SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

I’d be going with the boom Panthers fullback because his selection adds so many options if some in the backline gets hurt.

Plus he has that important relationship in defence with Josh Mansour at the Panthers to cover late tackle kicks.

Matt Moylan adds so many options in the backline.

In the forwards I’d be starting with Bryce Cartwright on one of the edges.

He has been one of the standout forwards since the beginning of the season and had a blinder in City-Country. He will add much more to the team than recent years with the likes of Ryan Hoffman and Greg Bird.

The rest of the pack picks itself with the only arguments on the bench.

TEAM SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

Jack Bird deserves a start. He lacks experience but he’s got a stack of class and energy. Plus he can cover so many positions.

Andrew Fifita has also done enough at the Cronulla Sharks this year to warrant a recall. He has grown up and got his life sorted away from the game.