Forget, if you can, about the No.6s on either side of Easter Monday’s sold-out western Sydney derby.
Even after all the endless column inches, clicks and nightly news bulletins around the multi-million-dollar deals being taken up, or not, by Lachlan Galvin and Dylan Brown.
NSW coach Laurie Daley has a No.6 jersey of his own to fill and exactly one month to do it.
So it’s all eyes on Eels No.7 Mitchell Moses and, until this week, his opposite number Jarome Luai. Who just so happen to be the Blues most recent halves pairing, a pivotal one at that in last year’s come-from-behind series win.
If Nathan Cleary is fit when Daley picks his Origin I squad in four weeks’ time, he is NSW halfback.
Moses returns from a stress reaction in his left foot against the Tigers on Monday and has played just eight games for Parramatta in the past 18 months. The surgery and screw inserted into the same foot sidelined him for two months this time last year.
But such was his kicking dominance in a series defining Origin return when Moses finally did string some games together, there is little doubt he can return from injury to the interstate arena in a similar vein this time around.
Mitchell Moses shrugs off Tom Dearden to score the series winning try for NSW last year.Credit: Getty Images
Before a ball was kicked and Cleary was ruled out of last year’s campaign with a two-month hamstring tear, Moses was his scrumbase partner. A conversation was had around the potential combination given both are elite game-managing, on-ball halfbacks in clubland. Moses was ready to switch to a more traditional five-eighth role for the Blues.
Daley could not be reached for comment on Sunday, but was lavish in his praise of Moses’ Origin performances last month – specifically his kicking game and “ability to make the plays when the game was on the line”.
Notably, the returning Blues coach then told NRL360: “I think he’s got the ability to play five-eighth in Origin as well.”
Moses has Monday’s clash with the Tigers, then a bye, and games against the Sharks, Dolphins and Knights to push his Origin cause.
With Galvin being dropped to reserve grade, Luai is actually back in his old No.6 jumper at his new club on Monday, with Adam Doueihi his new halfback.
He proved himself a quality halfback in Cleary’s absence last season before moving to the Tigers, where their attack and his place in it is slowly but surely evolving.
Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary after winning their fourth premiership together.Credit: Getty Images
Luai played his part to a tee last year, a perfect foil to Moses in the Blues victories at the MCG and Suncorp Stadium. And there’s arguably no better CV in history for such a role alongside Cleary than the four NRL premierships they won together at Penrith.
If Luai isn’t alongside his former Panthers teammate at Accor Stadium in five weeks’ time, it won’t be because of his credentials.
Elsewhere, on both sides of the border, injuries are dictating the most pertinent selection questions.
Queensland are preparing for a worst-case scenario where they will be without champion hooker Harry Grant (hamstring) for the May 28 series-opener.
Broncos fullback Reece Walsh was fighting a losing battle to Kalyn Ponga for the No.1 jumper, but he too is now unavailable for at least a month with a knee injury. So is Titans back-rower David Fifita (hamstring).
Zac Lomax’s own broken foot is expected to keep him out of Origin I. Tom Trbojevic (knee) and Brian To’o (hamstring) are due back a few weeks beforehand.
The Blues have options out wide, though Jake Trbojevic’s incumbency as captain will become a talking point unless he and Manly pull out of their current tailspin.
Given Isaah Yeo is a walk-up start and the Australian captain, even who will skipper the state comes second to who will pair with Cleary in the halves.
All eyes to Easter Monday then, and all eyes on the sixes to partner the seven.
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