Laurie Daley sticks with his Game 1 winning Blues team, Haumole Olakau’atu pulls out of squad

NSW coach Laurie Daley has stuck solid with his victorious team for Game 2 of State of Origin, with prop Max King elevated to the starting 17 to cover for Mitch Barnett. SEE THE TEAM

Bulldogs prop Max King has earned a starting front-row spot for NSW in State of Origin II following a barnstorming performance for Canterbury in their 30-12 win over Parramatta on Monday.

It comes as the Blues face a nervous wait on the availability of Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses after he was put on report for a high tackle in the same game.

Blues coach Laurie Daley on Monday evening named his 20-man squad for game two in Perth on Wednesday, with three changes.

King, who ran for a game-high 210m from 19 hit-ups at a slippery Accor Stadium, replaces Mitch Barnett at prop following the New Zealand Warriors star’s season-ending knee injury.

The Blues team for Game 2.

King will partner Payne Haas at prop as the Blues look to wrap up the series in Perth.

As expected, Melbourne prop Stefano Utoikamanu has been named on the interchange bench, with the 25-year-old set to make his third Origin appearance.

Elsewhere, Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton has been named as 18th man for the Blues, a role he filled twice in last year’s series.

He replaces South Sydney’s Campbell Graham, who was unavailable due to injury.

Graham’s Rabbitohs teammate Keaon Koloamatangi and Penrith prop Lindsay Smith, have both been named on an extended bench.

The NRL’s match review committee will fast-track its findings into Moses, who could be charged after he was put on report for a high tackle on Canterbury’s Daniel Suluka-Fifita in the dying moments of Monday evening’s loss to the Bulldogs.

NSW forward pulls out of squad for Origin II

Haumole Olakau'atu will not be available for game II. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Manly forward Haumole Olakau’atu has put the birth of his second child ahead of the opportunity to be part of the NSW squad for the second State of Origin game.

Olakau’atu, who was set to be named in the extended squad for Origin II, turned up at NSW headquarters on Monday morning after being told he would be part of the Blues preparations.

However, once he explained his situation to Blues staff, they agreed to release him from camp to attend the birth of his first child with his partner Ana.

Olakau’atu was part of the extended squad for the opening game of the series after making his Origin debut in last year’s series.

He was expected to be in the extended squad for game two and would likely have stayed with the side had the game been played in Sydney or Brisbane.

However, the trip to Perth meant it would have been too difficult for Olakau’atu to be on call for his partner’s pregnancy.

-Phil Rothfield, Brent Read

Originally published as Laurie Daley sticks with his Game 1 winning Blues team, Haumole Olakau’atu pulls out of squad