State of Origin 2018: NSW coach Brad Fittler to reveal his team for game one on Monday night
AS the youngest player ever to represent NSW, Brad Fittler understands the State of Origin furnace better than anyone. And this weekend, he will select the men he believes can carry the Blues to glory once again.
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AS a squeaky voice 18-year-old, Brad Fittler was thrust into the State of Origin furnace.
Under the late great super coach Jack Gibson in 1990, Fittler made his debut as the youngest player ever to represent NSW — a record which remains 28 years on.
On Sunday night, Fittler will be in the shoes of Gibson, gathering alongside the NSW rugby league hierarchy to select a new era for the Blues — and a potential record number of Origin debutants.
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Up to 11 of the most recent Blues who allowed Queensland to claim their 11th series from the past 12 will be overlooked either through injury or form, including Mitchell Pearce, Brett Morris, Jack Bird, Aaron Woods, Jarryd Hayne and Nathan Peats.
Into Fittler’s side will come a fresh and untarnished set of Blue bloods, including explosive Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell, dashing Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr, Sea Eagles star Tom Trbojevic, damaging Souths hooker Damien Cook, Penrith tough-guy Regan Campbell-Gillard and in-form Dragons forward Jack De Bellin.
Canberra Raiders 19-year-old Nick Cotric and Brisbane’s James Roberts are also in the reckoning.
From inside the NSWRL Homebush HQ, Fittler and his Blues brains-trust, including chief adviser Greg Alexander and assistant coach Danny Buderus, will conduct a phone hook-up with the NSWRL board at 7pm on Sunday night.
Fittler will ask the board and NSWRL CEO David Trodden to approve the 17-man line-up he believes can usurp Queensland in Origin I on June 6 at the MCG.
The 2018 Origin I NSW team will then be unveiled to the public at 6.40pm at a gala dinner at The Star on Monday night.
What is guaranteed is that Fittler’s team will be virtually unrecognisable from the side that lost Origin III 22-6 — and another series decider — to the Maroons last July and of which cost former coach Laurie Daley his job.
Fittler will go close to breaking the record for most debutants picked, which stands at nine, set in Origin I in 1999.
He boasts a desire to rid the Blues of any mental scarring, by picking a large majority of players who haven’t been part of the past decade of defeat, while also continuing with those who have shown worthy of a recall.
“There is going to be new players without a doubt. We have to get the mix right,’’ Fittler said.
An example of that balance is that the NSW coach will ratify incumbent Boyd Cordner as his captain, supported in the pack by Manly Test forward, Jake Trbojevic — a standout from last year’s series for the Blues.
Trodden said the new dawn isn’t intended only for this year’s series.
“There’s an expectation that there will be a new and fresh look to the team,’’ Trodden told The Sunday Telegraph.
“That’s an exciting position to be in, rather than a daunting position to be in.
“For the guys that do get picked there’s a massive opportunity for them because of the prospect of a successful series this year leading to a lengthy representative career.
“I find that hugely exciting for so many young and talented players that we could see in the side.’’
Fittler spent Saturday night watching up to 11 of Origin candidates do battle at Penrith.
He will then finalise his squad after commentating with Nine at Sunday afternoon’s ANZ Stadium clash between Canterbury and the Wests Tigers.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters will announce his team at 10am Monday.