Premiership-winning halfback Chad Townsend took to social media last night to reveal what he believes will be the winning team list for the NSW Blues in Game 1 of State of Origin.
He asked fans for their opinions on Xย after posting a graphic with his 1-18 list of potential Blues representatives, a side that featured a couple of fresh faces and a few lock-in picks.
A notable change in Townsend's Blues prediction was his choice of fullback, opting for Sydney Roosters teammate and former NSW captain James Tedesco, who would come into the side to replace incumbent No. 1 Dylan Edwards.
The Penrith Panthers star nabbed the Blues jersey from Tedesco in 2024, helping steer his state to a famous Origin victory. His form, however, has not been overly impressive to start the year, which is most likely what has urged Townsend to select his current club captain as the fullback for Laurie Daley's squad.
His predicted squad also omits the likes of Zac Lomax, who had a Man of the Match-esque performance in the match-winning series last year. The Parramatta Eels' marquee man hoped to enter into the Origin arena once again in 2025, however, it seems Townsend has more faith in 2021 Dally M medalist Tom Trbojevic to do a job on the wing.
A sharp talking point in the lead-up to State of Origin is the halves pairing. While Mitchell Moses and Jarome Luai were instrumental in their state's success in last year's series, two-time Clive Churchill medalist Nathan Cleary has been identified by his Blues coach as a shoo-in, regardless of who plays alongside him.
While many fans believe the chemistry between the former Panthers duo of Cleary and Luai is not a fact to overlook, it seems Townsend has gone the other way, opting to bring in Eels and Lebanon star Mitchell Moses as Cleary's counterpart.
The former Cronulla Sharks star went on to include an unmissable debutant to this Blues outfit, inviting Wests Tigers enforcer Terrell May onto the bench.
May has been absolutely sensational for the Tigers since joining the club over the offseason. Currently sitting second on the NRL's Dally M ladder, he has staked his claim tenfold and is sure to be included in more than just Townsend's predicted Blues squad.
The NSW squad is set to be announced this Sunday evening, where Townsend will be able to see if his predictions come to fruition.
