The NSW Blues have named a 21-player squad for Game 2 of the 2026 State of Origin series, but Laurie Daley, who only named the players in alphabetical order, has left more questions than answers on the table.
From his halves, to his props, and other questions around improvement after a ghastly start to Game 1, here are all the key talking points for the Blues out of the side selected for Game 2.
SEE THE BLUES SQUAD FOR GAME 2 HERE
Strange case: The argument to bench Mitchell Moses
Picking Mitchell Moses in the squad for Game 2 is an enormous risk for the Blues, and you can see Laurie Daley understands the risk.
He has four halves among his 21-man squad, with Isaiya Katoa and Ethan Strange both on standby if Moses isn't fit.
You'd have to imagine, even if he does make it through camp, playing him at five-eighth, not his usual position, and in an untried combination with Nathan Cleary is also a risk.
The other issue here is that Ethan Strange did nothing wrong in the series-opener.
There is a very easy argument to make really that he was the best Blues player on the park.
Axing him from the side so that Mitchell Moses can play is an almighty risk for Laurie Daley that could blow up spectacularly.
Moses is an experienced Origin campaigner though, and if you're going to name a half on the bench, just maybe it is him. He can play six and seven, and a calming influence if the Blues do run into problems late could be the way to go.
What does the prop rotation look like?
Payne Haas' return is a big one for the Blues, and whether you're a fan of the Broncos' star or not, it's tough to mount an argument that he isn't one of, if not the, best prop in the game.
Jacob Saifiti, who was overlooked for any game time in Game 1 despite being the only prop on the bench, has unsurprisingly been overlooked.
It leaves the Blues, again, with a three-man prop rotation, although the commonly held argument and evidence is that Isaah Yeo will spend some time during the game in that role.
Mitch Barnett, despite a poor Game 1, probably holds onto his starting spot, with the Blues hoping for plenty of aggression and big runs from Addin Fonua-Blake once he checks in off the bench.
Big minutes will be required of all three players given the skinny rotation, but don't be surprised to see Haas in particular put in a big shift.
What role does Apisai Koroisau play?
There is no doubt that if he was fit, Blayke Brailey would have been picked again for the Blues trip south to the Victorian capital where they will look to put away the series.
But he isn't, and Laurie Daley has snubbed New Zealand Warriors dummy half Wayde Egan to instead go back to Apisai Koroisau.
The experienced representative option probably doesn't have the spark he once did, but is in good form for the Tigers and has a strong running game.
It was that running game which set Brailey apart against tired legs at the back end of Game 1, and has seemingly forced Queensland coach Billy Slater to have Max Plath play from the bench rather than start at lock.
That's not even to say Koroisau will get on the field. Most of that is going to depend on the scoreline, the pace of the game and Reece Robson's performance.
If he does get on though, look for the Fijian representative to run at every opportunity and control the ruck.
Why Cameron Murray must start
In the short, because the Blues can't afford to go down 18 points to 0 again before he gets onto the field.
Some of that was in areas Murray wouldn't have been able to control, namely, errors, and silly ones at that, but his experienced crop of teammates.
But there is also little surprise that the Blues looked faster in attack and more solid in defence once he got onto the field.
In fact, once Murray came off the bench, the Maroons only kicked a penalty goal in the remaining 60 minutes and change.
That is not all down to Murray, but it's not just a coincidence the game changed once he got onto the park.
It will again in Game 2 if he is forced to wait for his opportunity, but the Rabbitohs lock, who is easily the best in his position in the game, could start and put the Blues on the front foot from the get-go.
It doesn't seem like rocket science from the outside looking in.
Should Casey McLean start?
In a word, yes.
Laurie Daley has clearly named his side in alphabetical order with the main consideration being the fitness of Mitchell Moses, but don't be surprised if there is a little twist in the outside backs too.
That's not to say Casey McLean is a walk-up starter, but he didn't do much wrong in his limited minutes on debut at the back-end of Game 1.
Stephen Crichton had another mixed game for the Bulldogs on Monday afternoon against the Parramatta Eels, and when you add in his errors during Origin 1, it's hard to mount the case he deserves his starting spot.
Like Moses, maybe it is that Crichton's best place in this side is off the six-man bench, with McLean to get his opportunity to start the game.
His form for the Panthers, combined with his efforts in the series opener, makes a pretty compelling case.
