Aaron Woods is confident Manly back-rower Haumole Olakau’tau wouldn’t look place out of place in the State of Origin arena for New South Wales.
Meanwhile, Manly legend Geoff Toovey has named his predicted Blues team with some surprise inclusions and exclusions.
Read below for all the latest State of Origin news!
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TOOVEY’S HILARIOUS PREDICTED BLUES TEAM
Manly legend Geoff Toovey has hilariously named four players as contingency plans in a NSW team he labelled “flexible”.
NRL360 co-host Paul Kent immediately asked “what’s going on here” when Toovey’s predicted Blues team flashed onto the screen on Wednesday night.
Toovey named James Tedesco at fullback, Brian To’o and Josh Addo-Carr on the wings and Tom Trbojevic and Stephen Crichton in the centres.
As Gorden Tallis laughed at his predicted team, Toovey hit back and explained why four players were listed in alphabetical order outside of the starting 17.
“Don’t you worry mate, we are flexible here in NSW, I have got a lot of contingency plans,” Toovey said.
“The backline picks itself I reckon but Tom Trbojevic, I am worried about him he is still a bit injured I believe.”
“So you’ve got Latrell Mitchell at 18 D, your fourth 18th man and you’ve got Stephen Crichton in the centres, no Latrell,” Kent said.
“No Latrell, because we are moving fullbacks all over the shop here in the centres and I think the centres is a specialist position,” Toovey said.
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“I think if we’ve got two there we will double up on our inexperience, but I’ve left Tommy there because I am a mad Manly tragic.
“But again, if he’s injured I’d move Latrell straight in there.”
Toovey also included Rabbitohs flyer Alex Johnston as a replacement for Addo-Carr who could miss Game I due to an ankle injury which required surgery.
He also named Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards as a ring in for Tedesco should he be sidelined and Liam Martin as the next man included in the forwards.
“I’m not sure… listen boys I am telling you now there’s a few injuries in that team that I’ve named so I just want to make sure we are at our peak come selection time,” Toovey said.
“Slot straight back in there… don’t worry Gorden I am here to confuse you Queenslanders.”
MANLY BOLTER ‘READY’ FOR ORIGIN – WOODS
Newly-signed Manly forward Aaron Woods believes teammate Haumole Olakau’atu is “definitely ready” for a maiden New South Wales jersey.
Olakau’atu has launched himself into Origin calculations on the back of a stellar start to the season coupled with injury concerns to incumbent backrower Liam Martin and the in-form Rabbitohs forward Keaon Koloamatangi.
There’s also a question marks regarding Angus Crichton’s availability, who makes his return for the Roosters this weekend.
Olakau’atu’s form this season is hard to ignore and the 24-year-old has played in every minute of Manly’s six games, recording 123 running metres per game, three tackle and scoring four tries.
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His bone-shattering hit on Storm flyer Justin Olam last Friday is still reverberating around Brookvale Oval — a hit Woods enjoyed a front-row seat for.
“He’s not just that big forward who runs over people, he knows his footy,” Woods told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He can run good angles, he’s a good talker, and defensively — the hits he’s pulling off… that tackle the other night, you never see Justin Olam get whacked,” Woods told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I was on the sideline and had a perfect view of it. That tackle set the tone for the match.
“I thought we’d get penalised because Justin got up and he was rattled, but it was just from the whiplash of the tackle.”
Olakau’tau is quickly firming to be named in the Game I side by Blues coach Brad Fittler when he announces the squad in four weeks time.
