NSW Blues legends Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler have delivered their opinions on who Blues coach Laurie Daley should select for Game 1 of the 2025 State of Origin series.
Taking over from Michael Maguire, Daley has a difficult choice on his hands in the coming days as he selects the squad that will hopefully go back-to-back against the QLD Maroons.
As Daley prepares to name his team later this week, several former players and pundits have predicted who he will select, including duo Johns andย Fittler, who became icons in the Origin arena.
Speaking on Freddy and The Eighth, the duo confirmed that they would drop Dylan Edwards from the side and instead choose Tom Trbojevic to play at fullback rather than the four-time premiership winner and also former Blues skipper James Tedesco.
"Turbo hasn't played fullback for NSW," Johns said.
"Asking Billy Slater on the Sunday Footy Show, he said 'fully fit, there's none better (than Trbojevic)'.
"Fully fit, has to be 100 per cent fit, I think he could just absolutely tear them to bits."
Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler's NSW Blues team for Game 1
1. Tom Trbojevic (Manly Sea Eagles)
2.ย Brian To'oย (Penrith Panthers)
3. Bradman Best (Newcastle Knights)
4.ย Stephen Crichtonย (Canterbury Bulldogs)
5.ย Zac Lomaxย (St George Illawarra Dragons)
6. Mitchell Mosesย (Parramatta Eels)
7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8. Mitchell Barnett (New Zealand Warriors)
9.ย Reece Robsonย (North Queensland Cowboys)
10. Payne Haasย (Brisbane Broncos)
11.ย Liam Martinย (Penrith Panthers)
12.ย Angus Crichtonย (Sydney Roosters)
13. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
Interchange
14. Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters)
15. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
16. Haumole Olakau'atuย (Manly Sea Eagles)
17. Spencer Leniuย (Sydney Roosters)
