Former NSW Blues representative Josh Morris has backed in Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards as an Origin bolter after his four-try heroics against Manly on Saturday.
Edwards starred in Penrith’s 44-12 win, scoring four tries to go with 136 run metres, three linebreaks and 13 tackle busts.
The 27-year-old has long been considered one of the more underrated players in the game but Morris believes Edwards is more than deserving of his time in the spotlight.
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“I’m going to throw it out there, if James Tedesco doesn’t play fullback for the Blues, Dylan Edwards should,” Morris said on 2GB Radio’s ‘Continuous Call Team’.
“He’s been one of the best fullbacks the last couple of years. We’ve got Turbo and Latrell but I think you could easily put Turbo on the wing (and) Latrell in the centres.
“If Teddy doesn’t play he would be a great substitute for him.”
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said Edwards “stopped flying under the radar a long time ago” and he is not wrong, with the fullback enjoying a career-best outing in last year’s grand final.
Edwards took home the Clive Churchill Medal after his performance against Parramatta in the decider and is contracted at Penrith until the end of the 2024 season.
“It was good for him to get some rewards,” Cleary said on Saturday.
“Nice to see that combination between he and Nathan [Cleary] developing as well. I think he will reap the rewards down the track.”
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Edwards easily outperformed his highly-rated opposite number, with Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic battling through back spasms in a quiet showing for the Sea Eagles.
Cleary though said he didn’t think Edwards saw Saturday’s game as a chance to make a statement against one of the league’s better fullbacks.
“He is pretty much like that every week I reckon,” Cleary said.
“He’s a very competitive guy. Fullback is a position where most teams have a good one, so maybe he does have a bit of a chip on his shoulder.”
Panthers skipper Isaah Yeo, meanwhile, said he rates Edwards “very, very highly” among the NRL’s fullbacks and described him as a “pleasure to play with”.
“I can’t rate him highly enough and he is so important to this team with what he does,” Yeo said.
“There is no difference between his best and his worst it feels like.”
