Brad Fittler has named his NSW side for the final game of the 2023 series, making some shock changes with two debutants named.
With Nathan Cleary, Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic all sidelined due to injury and a cloud hanging over Payne Haas — Blues selectors had a job on their hands.
NSW have made a total of seven changes, with five players axed in a huge shake-up with Fittler desperate to salvage a victory.
Here’s all the winners and losers from Monday’s NSW Blues team announcement!
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WINNERS
JAMES TEDESCO
The NSW skipper hasn’t been at his best so far this series, but no one can doubt his quality and Blues selectors have stuck solid with Tedesco at fullback. There were loud calls for the Roosters gun to be dropped with Panthers star Dylan Edwards breathing down his neck. However, Tedesco will now wear the sky blue jersey for the 22nd time since making his debut in 2016. The 30-year-old was impressive for the Roosters in Round 18, running for 264 metres with seven tackle breaks and a four-pointer, despite the Tricolours going down. While many pundits believe Tedesco’s first two games of the 2023 series warrant his exclusion, Fittler has remained loyal and the Blues No.1 will be desperate to bounce back in Game III.
REECE ROBSON
Robson was impressive on debut amid a lacklustre attacking display from NSW in Game II, starting in a late switch with No.9 Damien Cook. The 25-year-old was forced to play 80 minutes in the middle after Cook replaced Tom Trbojevic in the centres and performed admirably in his first taste of the Origin arena. While Robson only ran for 52 metres, he made 46 tackles and missed only one to go with a try assist. The Cowboys gun has been ever-present in North Queensland’s charge this season and was also an integral figure in their 2022 campaign. Robson deserves his spot in Fittler’s NSW side and could be a key figure if the Blues are to stop a 3-0 whitewash in Sydney.
CODY WALKER
Walker last featured in the Origin arena in 2020, but now the 33-year-old playmaker has earned a shock recall for the third game of the 2023 series. The Rabbitohs five-eighth has been impressive this season, sitting behind only Scott Drinkwater for try assists and Nicho Hynes for linebreak assists. Walker was tipped to be picked for Game II in Brisbane but instead Fittler opted to remain solid with Jarome Luai in the No.6 jersey. Now Walker will partner Moses in a triumphant return to the Origin arena, being rewarded for strong club form under Jason Demetriou.
KEAON KOLOAMATANGI
Koloamatangi burst onto the scene in 2020 for the Rabbitohs and hasn’t looked back, becoming one of South Sydney’s most important players. The 25-year-old enforcer has been in the mix to be selected for the first two games of the 2023 series but will now finally earn his NSW debut in Game III. Koloamatangi has the ability to play on and edge and in the middle, even featuring at hooker for Tonga in the 2022 World Cup. Possessing a destructive running game, with impressive ball-handling skills to match, Koloamatangi now has chance to stamp his claim to remain in the side for the 2024 series with a strong performance.
BRADMAN BEST
Best was a shock inclusion in the NSW side for Game III, beating out Matt Burton and Siosifa Talakai for Trbojevic’s vacant centre spot. The 21-year-old made his NRL debut in 2019, becoming the second youngest player to debut for the Knights at the time. He has gone on to play 61 first grade games and his performance against the Bulldogs on Sunday was the catalyst for his debut. He ran riot in Newcastle’s 66-0 win over the Bulldogs, scoring three tries to go with 188 running metres, seven tackle breaks and two try assists.
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1st hat-trick – Bradman’s brilliant BEST | 00:36
CLINT GUTHERSON
Gutherson has been an ever-present force for the Eels this season, earning him an Origin recall on the bench for the Blues in Sydney. The 28-year-old played three games for NSW in 2020 during their infamous series loss to the ‘worst Queensland team in history’. Gutherson played in the centres during that series but will now feature on the bench, playing alongside Reece Robson who has also been named on the pine. It remains to be seen how Fittler will inject Gutherson in to the game after Nicho Hynes was sparsely used in the series opener, but the Parramatta gun will be ready when called upon.
REAGAN CAMPBELL-GILLARD
While his Origin return comes at the expense of club teammate Junior Paulo, Campbell-Gillard has been one of the NRL’s best props in recent years and started in the front row for the Kangaroos in the 2022 World Cup final. The 29-year-old featured once in 2022 before he was dropped after the series opener, having made his NSW debut in 2018 while plying his trade for the Panthers. Now Campbell-Gillard gets another chance in the Origin arena and he is expected to grab the opportunity with both hands.
LOSERS
DYLAN EDWARDS
Edwards has been one of the NRL’s most consistent performers in recent years and has been an integral figure in Penrith’s back-to-back premierships. However, the Panthers gun has previously been hampered by a strong list of impressive fullbacks that could wear the sky blue jersey. Edwards will have to wait at least another year to make his representative debut, having also been left out of the Kangaroos squad for the 2022 World Cup with coach Mal Meninga making it clear Tedesco will play every game. Edwards has forced his way into the conversation for the NSW No.1 jersey with relentless consistency but for now, that hasn’t been enough to earn an Origin debut.
CAMPBELL GRAHAM
Graham would almost certainly have earned his maiden NSW cap in 2023 if it wasn’t for injury. Following Tom Trbojevic’s season-ending pec injury, Fittler is on the hunt for a new centre and the Rabbitohs gun was the clear option to take over on the left side of the field. But after Graham was a late withdrawal for South Sydney in Round 18, continuing to battle a sternum injury which saw him depart the Blues squad for Game I after being named on the extended bench. Graham has been one of the NRL’s most consistent outside backs over the last two years and it is only a matter of time before he takes the field in the Origin arena.
NICHO HYNES
After he was axed for Game II, it looked likely Hynes was set to earn an Origin recall in place of five-eighth Jarome Luai. However, it wasn’t to be for the reigning Dally M Medallist, despite putting on a clinic against the Dragons in Round 18. The 27-year-old only took the field for a handful of minutes in Game I but missed a crucial tackle which led to Queensland’s matchwinning try. Hynes’ quality can’t be understated and the gun halfback will likely fight his way back in to contention next season — but for now, he has fallen down the pecking order under Fittler.
Knights put cricket score on Canterbury | 02:08
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JAROME LUAI
Luai’s position in the NSW team was scrutinised before players had even stepped foot on the field in Game I and the noise has only grown louder since Queensland sealed the series victory. The 26-year-old Panthers gun has become public enemy No.1 for rugby league fans north of the border and has now been axed for the final game of the series. For all the criticism, Luai was one of Fittler’s best players in the series opener and then was again solid in Game II, but selectors have decided to move in a different direction, hoping to inspire his side to victory. Luai will now have to fight to earn his spot back in the No.6 next season, with multiple players likely vying to partner Nathan Cleary in 2024.
HUDSON YOUNG
Young has been axed by Fittler coming into the final game of the 2023 series, being replaced by Keaon Koloamatangi and Liam Martin in the starting backrow. The Raiders gun has been a consistent performer under Ricky Stuart, but struggled on debut in Adelaide before delivering a solid display at Suncorp Stadium. However, it wasn’t enough to retain his spot in the NSW side and Fittler has decided to look elsewhere for impact on the edge. Young played 62 minutes in Game II, but that wasn’t enough to retain his spot.
JUNIOR PAULO
Paulo was a shock omission in Fittler’s team announcement on Monday, losing his spot in place of teammate Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Knights prop Jacob Saifiti. The 29-year-old hasn’t missed a game since making his debut in Game I of the 2020 series and has fallen victim to a faltering NSW outfit in 2023. Paulo has been solid for Parramatta this season but only played 33 minutes in Game II, less than half his fellow front rower Payne Haas.
TYSON FRIZELL
Frizell was another surprise omission from the Game III NSW team, having been one of the Blues best in the series opener before putting in a solid performance in Game II with 27 tackles. The Knights gun was the second backrower to make way in a full edge shake-up, with Liam Martin and Keaon Koloamatangi starting. The 31-year-old now looks unlikely to feature in the Origin arena again, recording 16 appearances for NSW since making his debut in 2016.
