Luke Keary’s strong start to the season has him well placed for State of Origin selection in the eyes of NSW coach Brad Fittler.

The Roosters' five-eighth has blossomed into one of the league’s best playmakers and is putting pressure on the likes of Nathan Cleary and James Maloney for a spot in the Blues' side.

“The things Luke Keary does is he can play both positions,” Fittler told the Sunday Footy Show.

“He plays five-eighth really well, he played five-eighth when Souths won the comp, he played five-eighth for a couple of years outside Mitchell (Pearce), he’s been coached by Joey (Andrew Johns), he knows exactly what to do as a five-eighth.

“But as we can see, he’s a brilliant halfback.”

Although he has been wearing the No.6 jersey in two of the opening three rounds, Keary has played more at halfback, with Latrell Mitchell playing five-eighth.

Despite this, the pressure is on the injury-riddled Maloney.

“Bring in the touch and the kicking under pressure, that is a job that has taken years and years of practice,” Fittler said.

“He can play both positions, that’s where he’s going to put pressure on all of them.”

Keary will be looking to continue his strong start to the year, which has seen him get three Dally M votes so far, when Sydney face the Broncos at home on Thursday night.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Keary and Adam Reynolds in halves.
    I know Cleary/Maloney won last year but they weren’t the reason they were solid at best, and this year are a long way off the pace.
    Keary and Reynolds doing there cross field bombs to jac and turbo is going to be very hard to defend

  3. If i was picking the team today I would choose this side

    1: J Tedesco
    2 T Trbojevic
    3: L Mitchell
    4: B Ferguson
    5: J Addo Carr
    6: L Keary
    7: A Reynolds
    8: D Klemmer
    9: D Cook
    10: P Vaughn
    11: B Cordner
    12: T Sims
    13: J Trbojevic

    14: V Radley
    15: A Crichton
    16: T Pangai Jr
    17: R Campbell Gillard
    18th Jr Paulo

  4. That’s close to the team but Ferguson isn’t a centre, his big thing is returns off kicks and he won’t get that as a centre. Also he won’t be playing due to not turning up to training camp earlier on.
    Back 5 will be same as last year with Roberts at centre.
    Halves your right and forward pack certainly prettt close, I would have Murray 18th man before Paulo though as Murray will play origin some stage

  5. Maybe Ferguson swaps with the Manly fullback. Fergo is brilliant bringing the ball back out of his own 20, he is like another big mobile forward. Fergo is a certainty.🎱🎱🎱🎱🎱🎱🎱

  6. Just let people have a normal chat about league, go to bed or go and watch your daddy’s private video collection or something

  7. He is the complete w@nker bob, me only change Murray instead of Radley, Murray has more game i reckon, but Radley would not let the team down, to bad we can’t have both.

  8. Cmon guys Duckman has no life, this is it and when Souths merge with easts and there called the Eastern Bunnies but everyone with just refer to them as the RABBITHOS it will BURN !!!!
    There not called West’s Tigers there called tigers same Saint George Illawarra there Saints or Dragons baaaaaaaa RABBITHOS

  9. Lost me at your 4 hardened ORIGIN bench players .
    Maybe bevan French or Corey Thompson for a bit of punch ? Lol

  10. Good team that, but agree with a few others here that fergo is no centre. I’d go Roberts (if fit) Aitken or Scott. Got to remember fergo’s screw up 2 years ago, has he done enough to redeem himself? The other two wingers are in good form so do you change what already works? He’ll be back soon so I’d have Frizell in there ahead of any of those guys on the bench in a heartbeat.

  11. Yeah, Fergo isn’t a centre, it takes away from his biggest strength. I do think he has done enough to forgive his antics with Dugan though. That said, Addo-Carr and Turbo, so long as form holds, deserve to keep their spots. I think James Roberts is under most threat in the backline. An option would be to move Turbo to centre and Fergo onto wing, but as I have stated many times, I believe you should play specialist centres due to the difficulty of the position in defence. On that, Aitken and Scott could be a chance, with Aitken ahead at the moment IMO.

    As for the forwards and bench, RCG has a way to go to make the team I think, he isn’t the same player coming back from injury. The others are all in form and I will wait and see how things are closer to the match before making a judgement on who I believe should be there.

  12. MY NSW ORIGIN TEAM
    Its a good mix of new talent and last years winning team 🙂
    1. Tedesco
    2. Addo-Carr
    3. Trbojevic
    4. Mitchell
    5. Ferguson
    6. Keary
    7. Reynolds
    8. Klemmer
    9. Cook
    10. Vaughan
    11. Cordner
    12. Frizell (if fit)
    13. Trbojevic
    INTERCHANGE
    14. Peachey
    15. Murray
    16. Panjai Junior
    17. Chrighton
    EXTENDED RESERVES
    Backs: Nick Cotric
    Halves: Cody Walker
    Forwards: Victor Radley

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