State of Origin 2021: Maroons eye Reed Mahoney, Parramatta Eels’ under pressure

After starting the season with a bang, a Paramatta dynamo has emerged as a State of Origin bolter.

Tom Trbojevic celebrates a try for the Blues during Game 2 of the 2019 Origin series in Perth. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Parramatta dynamo Reed Mahoney has emerged as a State of Origin bolter, with Queensland coach Paul Green keeping a close eye on the Eels No. 9.

Mahoney is one of only a few Queensland eligible players that could be called upon to make their Origin debut in 2021.

The Maroons blooded so many new faces in last year‘s upset series victory under Wayne Bennett that Green may not have to field any debutants this year.

But if he does, Mahoney will be in the mix following a sensational start to the season heading into Friday night‘s showdown with the Broncos in Darwin.

Mahoney, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Thursday, is sitting equal fifth in the Dally M Medal count after polling eight votes in the opening six rounds.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Reed Mahoney is electric out of dummy-half. (Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)

He is a dynamic ballrunner from dummy-half and a hard worker in defence, as evidenced by his average of 48 tackles per game.

After debuting off the bench in last year’s decider, Storm No. 9 Harry Grant will be promoted to Queensland’s starting hooker when the series begins in Melbourne on June 9.

That has opened the door for a new super sub on Queensland’s bench, with the likes of Titans fullback AJ Brimson, Dragons halfback Ben Hunt and Mahoney in the mix.

Ahead of his first series in charge of the Maroons, Green said Mahoney had caught his eye and Queensland‘s forward depth was strong.

“Harry Grant is back playing now (after a knee injury) which is great and Reed Mahoney has started the year really well,“ he said.

“We’ve got a bit of depth in the forwards now. You’ve got the likes of Lindsay Collins, Jai Arrow, Christian Welch, Josh Papalii, Tino (Fa’asuamaleaui), (David) Fifita, (Kurt) Capewell, (Felise) Kaufusi and Jaydn Su’A.

“We’ve got some decent depth there but there is six weeks to go and things can change.“

Harry Grant was sensational in his State of Origin debut. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Bennett handed 14 Queensland players their Origin debuts in 2020 after the Maroons were ravaged by injury in the lead-up to the series.

The likes of Fa‘asuamaleaui, Collins, Su’A, Grant and Xavier Coates proved they have long-term futures in the Origin arena in what was a good sign for Queensland.

Green said the Maroons would benefit in this year’s series from so many players gaining Origin experience in 2020.

“It’s good that some guys got experience last year that may not have in different circumstances,“ he said.

“If we need these guys we know they have done it before as opposed to hoping they are up to it,

“(Kalyn) Ponga and Fifita are fit. It gives us a lot of depth. Brimson started the year well and did really well last year.

“Xavier Coates has been going well in a beaten team.“

—Travis Meyn

PARRA STARS EEL-ING THE HEAT

—Dean Ritchie

Parramatta front-rowers Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard are under pressure to retain their NSW spots and must muscle up – and fire up - against another Blues prop fighting for Origin survival, Brisbane’s Payne Haas.

Suddenly, Friday night’s game between the Eels and Broncos in Darwin has the potential to explode in the middle.

The Daily Telegraph can also reveal St George Illawarra pair Zac Lomax and Tariq Sims can enhance their chances of Origin selection but big performances against the Sydney Roosters in Sunday’s Anzac Day game at the SCG.

Paulo came off the bench for game three last year while Campbell-Gillard was part of an extended NSW squad. Haas started.

Insiders close to the NSW camp are demanding more from the three big boppers, starting at TIO Stadium on Friday night. Newcastle prop Daniel Saifiti appears an automatic front-row selection.

Paulo and Campbell-Gillard’s stats are solid this season but both are down in run metres yet up in missed tackles.

“Campbell-Gillard needs to come off the back fence more and Paulo needs to get more aggressive in defence. And don’t say sorry when you hurt someone,” said former NSW prop, Mark Carroll.

Reagan Campbell-Gillard carts it up against the Raiders. (Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)

“Paulo needs to start whacking blokes – we don’t see enough of it - and Campbell-Gillard started the season well but has been down for the past two weeks. Campbell-Gillard needs to be the man.

“I personally love it when I see Campbell-Gillard smashing through to the other side of the brick wall.”

The Blues coaching staff is known to be impressed with the form of Dragons stars Lomax and Sims.

Lomax continues to mature into a world class player while Sims has regained the form which catapulted him into the NSW side in 2018 and 2019. Lomax was part of the NSW squad last year.

How the pair perform in front of a huge SCG crowd in a high pressure game this Sunday will influence selectors.

Zac Lomax gets a chance to impress the Blues selectors this weekend. (Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)

In other Origin news:

—Although just his first game back from injury, Tom Trbojevic’s scintillating performance against Gold Coast has thrust him back into the NSW frame either at right centre or wing. —The incumbent right centre is Clint Gutherson with Josh Addo-Carr and Daniel Tupou the two NSW wingers from game three.

—Five-eighth remains a mystery with Jack Wighton, Jarome Luai and Cody Walker all logging wonderful claims. Panthers star Nathan Cleary will be first picked at halfback.

—There is a line of thinking that backrower is a position without depth – another reason Sims has become a front runner.

—A key debate will involve whether to shift Canberra’s Wighton into six or stick with South Sydney’s Walker, the incumbent.

—Luai, part of the Blues squad last year, has been exceptional this season and enjoys a strong club combination with Cleary at Penrith.

—Another leading five-eighth candidate, Luke Keary, is out for the season with a knee injury.

LOCKED IN: ORIGIN BOOKS RETURN TRIP TO PERTH MECCA

—Michael Carayannis

Origin will return to Perth with Western Australia to host its second interstate clash.

Perth Stadium will play host to an Origin in 2022 as part of the NRL’s plan to take a match to a neutral venue each season.

Melbourne will host Origin I this year on June 9 before the game returns to Suncorp Stadium on June 27 and Sydney on July 14.

Adelaide have already locked in a game for 2023 after hosting a COVID-impacted match last year.

Almost 60,000 watched on in 2019 when Perth hosted its first Origin match where NSW beat Queensland in game two of the series.

Optus Stadium put on a show for Game 2 of the 2019 State of Origin series. Picture: Richard Wainwright

ARL commissioner Peter Beattie launched the match in Perth on Wednesday morning.

“State of Origin is the biggest brand in Australian sport and now it has truly a national footprint,” Beattie said.

“When we first took Origin to Perth in 2019 the event was so popular it broke the ground record at the time.

“We’re looking forward to building on that success next year.

“Perth deserves Origin again and we are privileged to bringing the contest back.”

The NRL is yet to announce which game of the series Perth will host next year.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said his state were “delighted” the NRL had committed to bringing the game back to Perth.

“It’s arguably the most popular sport in the nation and has the potential to provide a multimillion-dollar boost to the economy,” he said.

Originally published as State of Origin 2021: Maroons eye Reed Mahoney, Parramatta Eels’ under pressure