New South Wales and Queensland are both mulling late changes to their starting side ahead of the highly anticipated State of Origin Game II.
The Maroons are heavy favourites to wrap up the series against a walking wounded Blues outfit at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
NSW coach Brad Fittler is set to switch his wingers Brian To’o and Josh Addo-Carr to offset their Queensland’s height advantage.
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Fittler is also expected to start Reece Robson at hooker and bring Damien Cook off the bench.
Maroons coach Billy Slater is considering starting Reuben Cotter, who was named man-of-the-match in Game I, on the right edge in place of Jeremiah Nanai.
Cotter was named on the bench for the series opener in Adelaide but ended up starting in the middle before he was quickly shifted to the edge after Tom Gilbert wen down injured.
Queensland are without Gilbert (shoulder), Selwyn Cobbo and Jai Arrow (ankle) from Game I — Nanai, Xavier Coates and Mo Fotuaika have earned recalls.
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Blues superstar Latrell Mitchell was scratched after failing to overcome a calf niggle that also kept him out of the series opener, while Nathan Cleary (hamstring) and Api Koroisau (broken jaw) have also been sidelined.
Fittler is coaching for his future and swung the axe on Nicho Hynes and Tevita Pangai Junior following quiet debuts.
The changes see Cook and Mitchell Moses recalled, while Robson and Stefano Utoikamanu will make their Origin debuts.
TEAMS FOR ORIGIN II
NSW Team
1. James Tedesco (c)
2. Brian To’o
3. Stephen Crichton
4. Tom Trbojevic
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Jarome Luai
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Junior Paulo
9. Damien Cook
10. Payne Haas
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Hudson Young
13. Isaah Yeo
14. Stefano Utoikamanu
15. Cameron Murray
16. Liam Martin
17. Reece Robson
18. Matt Burton
Coach: Brad Fittler
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QLD Team
1. Reece Walsh
2. Xavier Coates
3. Valentine Holmes
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5. Murray Taulagi
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
8. Lindsay Collins
9. Ben Hunt
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. David Fifita
12. Jeremiah Nani
13. Patrick Carrigan
14. Harry Grant
15. Thomas Flegler
16. Reuben Cotter
17. Mo Fotuaika
18. AJ Brimson
Coach: Billy Slater
MATCH OFFICIALS FOR GAME II
Referee — Ashley Klein
Review Official — Grant Atkins
Touch Judges — Drew Oultram and David Munro
Standby Referee — Gerard Sutton
Standby Touch Judge — Michael Wise
