State of Origin 2018: Players that will make, or break, this year’s series

WITH two overhauled squads for the Origin opener, the nature of how the series will play out is as unpredictable as it’s been in two decades. Here are the players most likely to make, or break, the 2018 State of Origin series.

WITH two overhauled squads for the State of Origin opener in Melbourne, the nature of how the 2018 series will play out is as unpredictable as it has been in over two decades.

Not since Super League-aligned players were ruled ineligible for selection in Paul Vautin’s 1995 clean sweep of the Blues has there been more mystery surrounding rugby league’s biggest stage.

Blues coach Brad Fittler has opted for a youthful squad stacked with immense attacking potency from 1-17.

Across the border, the retirements of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston have forced Kevin Walters into turning to new faces in key positions.

Here are the players most likely to make, or break, the 2018 State of Origin series.

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Will Latrell Mitchell’s defence hold up in the Origin opener?

Latrell Mitchell and James Roberts – The Blues centres are the definition of make or break as Origin debutants. Between them the duo have speed to burn, frightening amounts of strength and a refreshingly youthful approach to rugby league which creates unpredictability for opposing defenders. But they also have a defensive lapse - or two - in their game. Queensland will identify this and hammer the pair until they break. Points are hard to come by in the Origin arena, meaning one poor defensive read could decide a game. How this pair stand up to the rigours of Origin football could decide the series.

Cameron Munster will be the pivotal man in Queensland’s attack.

Cameron Munster – One Origin game, one devastating debut, one win. Munster is the future of the Maroons and has been thrust into a central attacking role in a side that’s lost a number of champion playmakers. With Ben Hunt controlling the contest, Munster will be the architect tasked with injecting flair into Queensland’s attack. If NSW can contain the Storm playmaker it will go a long way towards restricting the impact of the Maroons’ lethal back five. But if Munster has time and space to create opportunities for his outside backs, it could be a long series for the men in blue - particularly Latrell and Jimmy the Jet.

Tyrone Peachey – The Blues livewire is the ultimate utility player. Barring prop, Fittler can literally introduce Peachey into any position on the field with confidence he’ll leave a positive stamp on the game. Even if called upon to play up front, he’d probably still do a decent job - but maybe that’s stretching things a touch. The question with Peachey is how affective will he be in the grind of Origin football? At club level, he does his damage roaming in broken field off the back of second phase play. Very rarely does Origin football present this type of football. It’s highly unlikely Peachey will find a lazy defender to take advantage of, or be granted the space on an edge to beat a man one on one. On the flip slide, the nature of the two teams selected suggests we could be in for the most open Origin fixture in years. If we do see more broken play, Peachey could prove lethal when injected against a tiring defence at the back end of the match.

Josh Addo-Carr has gamebreaker written all over him.

Josh Addo-Carr – The Storm flyer offers one vital asset that no other player on the field boasts. If he finds himself with the ball in hand on the opposite side of the defensive line, it’s try time. It could be a stray pass, a Latrell Mitchell offload or a deflected kick, but if it ends up in Addo-Carr’s possession, he’ll score, such is his devastating turn of foot. Whether fortune favours the NSW winger and grants him one of the above scenarios is unknown, but if the Origin Gods do hand him a gift, it’ll be four points for the blue corner.

Jarrod Wallace and Dylan Napa – On the surface, these two may appear an odd selection as far as make-or-break players come. The Queensland props won’t score the match winner in the dying seconds, but nor will the likes of Valentine Holmes or Dane Gagai if their big men don’t win the battle up front. On paper, the NSW pack has the edge over their northern counterparts. If the Blues pack win the contest in the middle it will allow their outside backs to run riot. But if the Queensland pack, led by their starting props, can get their side playing on the front foot, it’ll bring their backline into play. A backline which, on paper, reads stronger than that of NSW.

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