Joey Leilua, Jesse Ramien and Jack Bird are all in contention to replace James Roberts for Origin I

With James Roberts expected to play reserve grade this week the race for a Blues Origin jersey has heated up and Brad Fittler has three players in mind to replace league’s fastest man.

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Jack Bird, Jesse Ramien and Joey Leilua have emerged as the candidates to take the NSW right centre position in the wake of James Roberts’ demotion to reserve grade in Brisbane.

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold has dumped star centre Roberts to the club’s reserves for Friday night’s match against Manly at Suncorp Stadium.

With only three games remaining before NSW select their team for Origin I in Brisbane on June 5, Seibold’s shock decision will just about end any chance Roberts had of retaining his Blues jumper for this series.

Brisbane’s Bird would be slight favourite ahead of Newcastle centre Ramien and Canberra Raider Leilua.

Bird has played five Origin matches in his career. Picture by Gregg Porteous.

Bird has enjoyed a solid start to the season despite being in a struggling Broncos side.

He looks fit, focused and back to the robust form which won him NSW selection in 2016 and 2017.

Ramien was mentioned as a possible inclusion in the NSW side last year, as was Leilua, who has been at his powerful best in a Canberra side flying high this season.

A former Shark, Ramien hasn’t seen a lot of ball this season but the NSW coaching staff is aware of his undoubted talents.

One source close to Roberts said: “It won’t totally end his Origin chances but it’s not an ideal situation.”

Leilua has been in top form for Canberra. AAP Image/Rohan Thomson.

Dragons centre Euan Aitken was spoken about last year, as was Melbourne’s Curtis Scott.

Both however are behind Bird, Ramien and Leilua in the NSW pecking order. Scott has been playing reserve grade for the Storm.

Originally published as Joey Leilua, Jesse Ramien and Jack Bird are all in contention to replace James Roberts for Origin I