Origin is no longer picked on form, and what the form teams would actually be

Form doesn’t matter as much as the coaches want you to believe.

CONTRIBUTOR | May 26, 2026 - 6:12am

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State of Origin. The pinnacle of our game. The biggest clash in Australian domestic sport.

No matter how you view Origin in respect to what it does to week to week NRL competition, it is the envy of every other sport in the region.

The recent relaxing of eligibility rules allows international, representative talent to join the already incredible pool of talent to choose from.

If all goes to plan, Origin 1, 2 and 3 will be the three best games of the season in terms of quality.

The general feeling is that the concept sees the best players, in the best form, go up against each other at the peak time of the season.

I'd argue, for many years, that was the case. Not so much in 2026 though.

Not to suggest, even for a second, that the series opener next Wednesday won't be incredible, but I'm more than suggesting that this year's teams have not been picked on form.

To be frank, I'm absolutely stating it! Neither the NSW nor QLD team have been picked on form.

They've seemingly been picked at random ... and using form from three or four years ago.

The main selection talking point has been the shock selection of Roosters middle Victor Radley.

Radley has been fine in 2026, but nothing more. An off-field error lead to a suspension that cost him the opening five rounds of the season.

In his five games he has one try, four tackles breaks, no offloads and is averaging 75 run metres per game. Defensively he is tackling at 94%.

He's averaging 50 minutes per game, at lock, for the Roosters.

Given Isaah Yeo and Cameron Murray have been selected, the Blues are not short on quality lock options. Radley's spot on the bench will require major impact to justify his selection.

There's talk of him being an "Origin player" but I don't see how giving away penalties and being almost even odds to be sent to the Sin Bin helps you in Origin, but here we are.

Meanwhile the form forward of the competition, Jackson Ford, has been overlooked completely.

This despite him sitting second in the Dally M race on the back of 10 games, four tries, six line-breaks, seven offloads and 178 metres per game.

He's also completed 95% of his tackles, whilst averaging 73 minutes per game.

Keaon Koloamatangi is averaging 170 metres per game. Terrell May 157, whilst tackling at almost 99%. Both screaming to be selected beside Ford, yet overlooked.

Another line of thinking was that Radley had been selected to cover second row, like Ford and Koloamatangi hadn't spent most of their respective careers as second rowers.

Dylan Lucas, someone actually picked on form, is a specialist second rower and should be thrown on in that role, if required. Cam Murray has how many games for NSW as a second rower?

I don't mean to single out Radley, but there is no justification for his selection if not based on form.

Other Blues players who can count themselves very lucky to be there next Wednesday night include Stephen Crichton, Mitch Moses, Reece Robson and Jacob Saifiti.

For the Maroons Jojo Fifita, Thomas Flegler, Kurt Capewell, Briton Nikora, Lindsay Collins, Trent Leoiero, Ezra Mam and Gehamat Shibasaki should all purchase lotto tickets.

Obviously players such as Mitch Moses and Cameron Munster were always going to be named, despite their form running in, but the selection of Briton Nikora absolutely floored me.

He has been far below average for the Sharks this season, averaging under 50 run metres per game.

Defensively he has been there for the taking and has hardly thrived in his role of protecting Nicho Hynes in the defensive line.

I still can't believe Kurt Capewell has been selected.

Meanwhile Heilum Luki and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki are walk up selections if based on form.

The aforementioned Finefeuiaki is averaging three times as many run metres as Nikora and double those of Capewell.

I know it's not all about run metres, but defensively he is statistically better than both.

Connelly Lemuelu and Beau Fermor are both in, undisputedly, better form than either Nikora or Capewell also.

I've heard arguments for Nikora and Capewell being "big game players". I'll fight for Capewell here as he has been amazing in Maroons colours in the past but Nikora has failed on the big stage for the Sharks two years in a row.

I genuinely feel like each coach is trying to be more clever than their opponent with selections, when just picking the 19 best players, in their roles, was the go.

There are certain players that are always going to be picked, regardless of form. I fully understand that.

I just wish coaches, and pundits, would stop insisting that form is so important. The team selections prove that form is only a small part of the thinking when it comes to Origin teams.

Below are what I believe to be the form teams (eligible) for both states. Those that were selected will be marked with a "***"

Injured players have been left out. i.e. Latrell Mitchell is the form left centre but isn't able to be selected so wont't be listed below.

Where it was close (ie Tedesco vs Edwards) I've named the player selected as it would be nitpicking.

I also understand that not every player below is Origin ready etc, it's purely to show the form players.

New South Wales
1. James Tedesco ***
2. Brian To'o ***
3. Tolutau Koula (wing) ***
4. Kotoni Staggs ***
5. Thomas Jenkins
6. Isaiya Katoa
7. Nathan Cleary ***
8. Jackson Ford
9. Blayke Brailey (bench) ***
10. Addin Fonua-Blake ***
11. Haumole Olakau'atu ***
12. Hudson Young ***
13. Isaah Yeo ***