‘Can’t hide in Origin’: Mitchell Moses firming as NSW Blues No. 7

The favourite in the three-way battle to replace Nathan Cleary has reportedly been decided ahead of the teams being named for Origin II.

The No. 7 jersey has been a three-horse race in Nathan Cleary's absence. Photo: Getty Images

Parramatta Eels halfback Mitchell Moses has reportedly shot into favouritism to claim the NSW Blues No. 7 jersey.

Moses, who played one previous State of Origin match in the dead rubber of the 2021 series, is firming ahead of both Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes and Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds.

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Reynolds has been in excellent form for Brisbane and previously has two matches for NSW in 2016.

It saw his name thrust into selection contention potentially alongside former teammates Cody Walker at five-eighth and Damien Cook at hooker, as fans called for the South Sydney connection to be brought into the must-win clash at Suncorp Stadium.

But with Walker ruled out of Saturday’s loss against the Dragons due to a quad injury, it appears unlikely that the combination will be rekindled.

Hynes, who was named player of the year last season, debuted in game one in Adelaide but was thrust into the centres in a late cameo.

But it’s Moses who has been named the frontrunner by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Moses has played one Origin before.

The newspaper says Phil Gould’s endorsement holds great sway with Blues coach Brad Fittler and Gus wants Moses.

“He’s got a lot of aspects to his game that I like, if there wasn’t a Nathan Cleary around he’d have played probably another half a dozen Origins,” Gould said on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night.

Gould, who coached NSW in 24 matches between 1992-96 and 2002-04, also believes Moses is a “like for like” replacement for Cleary and could partner Luai in the halves.

“He’s got his very long kicking game, his long kicking game, and his short kicking game. Luai for me was our most dangerous player in game one … and Moses can get him the ball how he likes to get it, where he likes to get it,” Gould said.

“We don’t want stoppages — we want the ball in play. We’ve got to kick long, kick often and when you think you’ve kicked it too much, kick it again.

“That’s my philosophy on Origin football. Mitchell Moses suits my philosophy.”

Moses is firming for a return to State of Origin. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

He also said on the Six Tackles with Gus podcast that he didn’t know if Reynolds was up to Origin.

“I just don’t know that Adam Reynolds is Origin speed these days, and I still have question marks over his physical wellbeing,” he said on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast.

“I think he’s carrying injuries a lot of the time, and he’s certainly not as fast as he was. What he’s giving that young Broncos team is tremendous direction.

“They’ve got Kotoni Staggs, Herbie Farnworth, Reece Walsh, he’s directing them around the field. And they’ve got Payne Haas and Thomas Flegler bashing the ball up in front.

“(Reynolds) is in the perfect environment at the moment, and other opposition teams are finding it hard to get him, but you can’t hide in Origin.”

Reynolds copped a drive-by from Gould. Photo: NRL Photos

Fittler himself is a fan of Moses, having coached him at the 2017 World Cup with Lebanon, where he said the Eels half was “destined for Origin”.

Moses has played one Origin, a loss in the 2021 dead rubber where he played out the match with a fracture in his back when he was hit by Felise Kaufusi after passing in the seventh minute of the game. Fittler added post-game at the time: “I was really happy with Mitchell Moses. I thought Mitchell’s defence was outstanding.”

The Australian’s Brent Read also claimed Moses was firming into the jersey.

“All the talk in the last few days, and it’s coming from people who are in the know, ‘Gus’ Gould talked about it and ‘Gus’ is a Freddy confidant, is that Mitchell Moses is the guy they’re going to look at and turn to,” Read told Triple M’s Saturday Scrum.

But Blues great Ryan Girdler believes the Blues should stick with who they picked, and that would be Nicho Hynes.

“You can build a case for Mitchell (Moses), you can build a great case for Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker and you can build a great case for Nicho Hynes.

“But it’s not about who comes in. It’s about who can Freddy (Fittler) sell this story to, who really understands the opportunity?

“I just think that the guys that have been in this series already, that have spent time preparing already … bringing in a new playmaker that hasn’t been in this series, (but) played a couple of series’ ago, you can build a story for him, but that wouldn’t be the way I’d go.”

Hynes is already with the team. Picture: Ben Clark

On SEN’s Morning Glory with Matty Johns on Friday, Johns said he believed Moses was “likely” to nab the role but SMH’s chief rugby league reporter Andrew Webster wasn’t so sure.

“There’s a lot of talk that he’s in the box seat,” replied Webster. “He played under him (Fittler) when he was coach of Lebanon, playing good footy and he’s played Origin before. Moses, there’s a lot of talk, I’m not sure if that’s just talk. They are keeping their cards very close to their chest, New South Wales.”

Johns also made the case for both of the other contenders saying Reynolds is “the most composed half in the comp, along with Cleary with the best kicking game but certainly the best short kicking game and Suncorp is his home ground”.

But he was behind Hynes for the role.

“He’s been the best player in the competition, I think, for the last 18 months,” Johns said.

“I reckon he’s playing better footy than he was when he won the Dally M medal. Last week against the Broncos a couple of errors here and there but he was everywhere, he couldn’t have done anything more.

“He’s been groomed for this opportunity, for this moment over the last couple of years in Freddy’s pathways. If not now, never.”