Fittler pays tribute to Edwards among Madge’s Origin ‘surprises’

Brad Fittler congratulated Dylan Edwards for winning the fullback spot ahead of former skipper James Tedesco,but the recently departed Blues coach said he was surprised by some of the bolder calls made by his successor Michael Maguire.

Tedesco was the Blues captain during four of Fittler’s six years as NSW coach,and he paid tribute to the Roosters fullback as a loyal servant who has been among the first picked for the Blues for many years.

But Fittler said Edwards had earned his selection after several seasons of dominant form for the Panthers.

“He hasn’t been given that jumper,he has absolutely gone out and taken it himself,” Fittler said on Nine’s NRL coverage.

“So congratulations to Dylan Edwards. There are some surprises. (Joseph) Suaalii is a surprise to me. Spencer Leniu,I think he will do a fantastic job and Origin will suit him,but that’s a surprise.

“(Haumole) Olakau’atu deserves his spot. (Cam) McInnes,once again,he seems like an Origin type of player. But starting in front of Isaah Yeo,there are a lot of new players there.

“And with a new coach,it’s the time to do it. It’s a good team,they’ve all earned their positions,so well done and good luck to the boys.”

Just in from Michael Chammas – an expected NSW Origin squad.

Blues officials have called Roosters veteran Luke Keary and told him he is on standby for Nicho Hynes. Scans on Hynes’ calf injury came back and revealed no further damage to the injury he has been carrying for a few weeks.

NSW will take the Sharks No.7 into camp to start the week and see how he responds over the next few days,when he will be on light training duties to manage the issue.

Cronulla officials would not have picked him for Thursday’s game against Parramatta given the short turnaround,but he will have an extra six days to prove his fitness ahead of next Wednesday’s series opener.

Cameron McInnes is a very popular debutant and one of the oldest in NSW Origin history. McInnes will be 30 years and four months old come game time - putting him behind only Tony Butterfield,Max Krilich,Hazem El Masri,Matt Prior and John Ferguson.

Mitch Barnett is also on the Blues extended reserves list after coming through the Warriors 24-20 win over the Dolphins unscathed.

It was always going to be one of the most contentious decisions Michael Maguire had to make - and he’s set to reward North Queensland’s tireless hooker Reece Robson with the No.9.

The 25-year-old had been locked in a battle with Tigers skipper Api Koroisau for the hooking role,but Robson has been confirmed to travel from Townsville to join Blues camp on Monday. He made his Origin debut last season and will come up against a cast of North Queensland teammates at Accor Stadium.

Manly’s Haumole Olakau’atu is poised to make his State of Origin debut after receiving a call-up from Blues coach Michael Maguire.

The Manly back-rower has been in devastating form this season,and after coming close last year,will join the Blues for game one in Sydney.

The destructive back-rower has been in irresistible form this season and will wear the NSW jersey for the first time on June 5.

Manly recently made a $7 million-plus,eight-year investment in Olakau’atu in the belief he would represent at the highest level and the 25 year old has repaid that prediction after a strong start to the season.

In a recent interview with this masthead,Olakau’atu said he struggled with the attention when he was touted as a contender last year.

“At first I thought it was a positive,but then it did affect my game,” he said earlier this year. “It got into my head a bit. I had to jump off socials for like a month.

“Now I’ve got a good mental coach working with the club right now,his name is Maisy[Andrew May]. He’s been helping me with all that mental stuff,that side of the game. He’s been really helping me a lot.”

Olakau’atu,who was part of a two-day Blues camp in February,has taken his game to another level this season and will be rewarded with a NSW debut.

Liam Martin has had his scan results come back on that hamstring issue that forced him out of Saturday’s clash with Cronulla and it’s welcome good news on the Blues injury front.

The Panthers back-rower has been cleared of any damage and will be right to take his place for Michael Maguire on the right edge. Martin has established himself as a fixture for NSW in recent years and given all the casualties so far leading up to Origin I,the Blues sorely need him.

James Tedesco has been dropped as NSW fullback and captain.

Despite a sterling performance in Saturday’s win against Canberra,the Roosters skipper has lost his Blues No.1 jersey to in-form Panther Dylan Edwards.

Tedesco is the seventh-most capped NSW player of all time,but his State of Origin career may be over after missing out on the series opener in Sydney on June 5.

There has been intrigue over the makeup of the first side named by new coach Michael Maguire,particularly after an injury crisis that has engulfed Nathan Cleary,Nicho Hynes,Cody Walker,Adam Reynolds,Tom Trbojevic,Cameron Murray,Bradman Best and Campbell Graham.

However,there is no bigger call than the decision to select Edwards over Tedesco.

Maguire has maintained that form will trump reputation and has been true to his word,opting for Edwards,who has been involved in the past four grand finals.

Edwards is currently on 30 Dally M points,the equal leader alongside Hynes. The 28-year-old is in sublime form again this year,scoring seven tries and averaging 233 running metres.

He has represented the Kangaroos on the wing,but will make his interstate debut in his customary fullback position.

The pressure has been building on Tedesco after struggling to produce his best form at club and representative level in 2023. However,the former Tiger has been back to his best this season and put pressure on Maguire with a big game against Canberra,scoring two tries,conjuring three tries assists and four line-break assists.

However,it wasn’t enough to retain his Blues jersey.

Jarome Luai does not care if he wears the NSW No.6 or No.7,and declared:“I don’t care,man,I just want that Blues jersey – I want my last name on my back again.”

Luai also revealed he had leaned on Panthers’ teammate Nathan Cleary to learn the finer points of halfback play,and how he was happy to play on the left or right side of the field for the Blues.

With Nicho Hynes struggling with an ongoing calf injury and unlikely to be picked for Origin I,Luai has firmed as the leading candidate for the NSW No.7 when the Blues squad is named.

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‘Ready to rock’:Cleary mentorship has Luai confident about Blues No.7 role

Blues coach Michael Maguire is likely to name a 20-man squad on Sunday night but it may be delayed until Monday,due to a number of injury concerns.

“I always back myself in any situation,” Luai said on Saturday night,following Penrith’s 42-0 hammering of Cronulla.

“There are a lot of good players that will be picked in that[NSW] side. It’s in God’s hands now. Whatever happens,I’ll take it with both hands. If the opportunity comes,I’ll be ready to rock.

“I’m a left-footer,that’s why I’m comfortable on the left in terms of kicking. But if they need me to play right,I’ll play right. I love a challenge. Nothing really changes.”

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The Titans have pulled off a massive,and thrilling upset of the Broncos,prevailing 36-34 in one of the higher scoring games you’ll see at Suncorp Stadium.

The Gold Coast stormed home with four tries after halftime to down last year’s grand finalists,with David Fifita playing the house down before being forced off by a late HIA.

Has Fifita played his way into Billy Slater’s Origin side with two try-assists and 20 runs for 235 metres? He certainly looked to be at his best,and Des Hasler gruffly confirmed afterwards that the big man passed his HIA after fulltime,so no concerns about the NRL’s 11-day stand down policy.

Brisbane’s 34 points fell just short of the highest score by a losing side in the game’s history.

Fun fact,the Titans hold that unfortunate record - scoring 36 twice in 38-36 losses to the Knights in 2010 and Melbourne in 2017,alongside the Bulldogs (37-36 losers in 2005) and the mighty Hunter Mariners (downed 48-36 in 1997).

The Broncos didn’t deserve to get as close as they did with 14 errors and a couple of bombed tries.

Parramatta’s J’Maine Hopgood is on the verge of a maiden State of Origin cap as Billy Slater looks to rejuvenate his forward pack.

Hopgood,who has been a standout for the Eels since making the switch from Penrith at the beginning of last season,is expected to be included in Slater’s squad for game one at Accor Stadium.

Queensland’s selectors are toying with a surprise bench inclusion with Brisbane speedster Selwyn Cobbo being discussed as an interchange weapon to cover for any injuries to the outside backs during the match.

It means Melbourne’s Xavier Coates will nail down one wing spot alongside North Queensland’s Murray Taulagi,with Valentine Holmes and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow favoured to be in the centres.

Cobbo didn’t feature in last year’s series after game one,but has been scintillating form for the Broncos this season,even deputising for Reece Walsh at fullback.

So,Jake Trbojevic as captain - one of the biggest calls of Michael Maguire’s career,and in recent NSW history.

It remains to be seen if James Tedesco remains in the wider squad,but all indications are Dylan Edwards will get the nod as fullback and it’s unlikely an out and out No.1 will be carried as cover outside the Blues 17.

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There’s also the question of whether a co-captain is needed given Trbojevic can play 80 minutes,but is no certainty to do so in the Origin furnace.

The Manly man has long been treasured by his teammates for his selfless and wholehearted approach to the game. AsAndrew Webster wrote after Origin I in 2022,Brad Fittler and his coaching staff knew they’d made a mistake by axing Trbojevic,and rushed him back in for what was eventually a thumping win over Queensland in Perth.

He’s also one of the nicest people in the game,regularly whispering an apology to some poor opponent he’s just cut in half with a textbook tackle.

Without question,he’s a genuine leader. But Trbojevic has rarely captained given Daly Cherry-Evans has been in charge,and fit for pretty much all of his career at Manly.

Trbojevic first captained the Sea Eagles in 2016,just his second full season of NRL,standing in for Jamie Lyon.

In all,he’s captained the club 14 times - for five wins and nine losses,and last took charge in 2022 when Cherry-Evans was unavailable.

And for the record,Tedesco hadn’t captained a team at senior level at all when he took over as NSW skipper during the end-of-season 2020 Origin series after concussion ruled Boyd Cordner.