‘The next step for him is Origin’: Wayde Egan tipped to make NSW debut in damaging double act around the ruck

Michael Maguire has some huge selections to make for his first game in charge, but the Blues coach may have found an obvious answer at hooker after a stunning display on Saturday.

Senior Warriors figures have urged the Blues to pick Wayde Egan for this year’s series. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Andrew Webster says the next step in Wayde Egan’s career is a State of Origin debut this year, with the Warriors coach warning Queensland that the Blues could unleash a double dose of former Penrith hookers to destroy them around the ruck.

New coach Michael Maguire has some tough choices to make for his first series in charge, but at least he can rest easy knowing he has all the class in the world at his disposal in the No.9 jersey.

Api Koroisau was the first choice last year but missed the final two games through injury which opened the door for Reece Robson and Damien Cook to work in tandem.

They did a fine job, but Koroisau and Egan are on another level in 2024 and must be on Maguire’s radar for game one.

Egan’s biggest issues over the years have been frustrating injuries and sometimes being overlooked given he plays across the ditch, but he shone under the Sydney spotlight on Saturday against Souths and won his battle with Cook.

Wayde Egan has been in scintillating for this season and is in line for an Origin debut. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

“The next step for him is Origin, for sure,” Webster said.

“I’ve said it to Wayde that I believe he should be an Origin player. You can’t be that talented and that good (and not play).

“We’ve got a style of play that we put around him so that he can do that and show his talent.

“I don’t think you’d get two better NSW nines that are going to ask so many questions of Queensland than Api and Wayde. They’re two guys who ask so many questions and make other people look good.

“If they start worrying about other people, that’s when Wayde takes his opportunities. He’s just brilliant.”

Egan’s trickery around the ruck is matched by his ability to straighten the attack for his halves and big forwards to run riot, and that was all on show with a couple of quality plays either side of half-time.

The first was something Cameron Smith would’ve been proud of as Egan dummied to Tohu Harris, straightened and then threw a no-looker to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad who found Shaun Johnson for the first of his two tries.

Harris spent many years playing with Smith at the Storm and can see some similarities between the greatest to ever do it and Egan.

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Back-to-back tries for the Warriors and Shaun Johnson is loving it! 😍

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“He’s just so calm. He doesn’t get flustered in his decision making, so when they’re like that, they seem to have so much time to make the right decision,” he said.

“When he does pull the trigger or make a decision, the execution of the pass – whether it’s wide to Shaun running onto it or a little short one to someone in a gap – he very rarely gets it wrong.

“The decision making and execution of it are very similar to (Smith).”

An Origin debut would be thoroughly deserved, with the local Lithgow lad set to feel right at home with the Blues to set up camp in Leura.

“He was the best player on the field today, and it wasn’t a fluke,” Warriors superstar Roger Tuivasa-Sheck said.

“He’s carried our performance from last year as well. He’s crafty around the ruck and he defends really well, so I’d like to see him get a call up. He’s deserving of it.”

Originally published as ‘The next step for him is Origin’: Wayde Egan tipped to make NSW debut in damaging double act around the ruck