AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 13: Nick Cotric of the Raiders makes a break during the round 23 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium on August 13, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
With almost a month until State of Origin I at Suncorp Stadium, and having previously profiled the players in danger of losing their Origin jersey, this week I’ve decided to take a look at the players who could potentially break into Brad Fittler’s NSW Blues. Some of these men would be debutants, and others returning for their second bite of the cherry.
While Brad Fittler has indicated that he is willing to stick with the same halves that got the job done last year in Nathan Cleary and James Maloney, Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary is putting forth an almost insurmountable case for selection come Origin I.
The former Rabbitoh has come along in leaps and bounds in the last few seasons, maintaining his usual X-factor in attack as well as developing his game management skills to be up there with the very best. Keary currently tops the competition for try assists with nine and has led his Roosters to a 6-1 start in 2019 without the regular help of his legendary halves partner Cooper Cronk who has missed multiple games through injury.
Following the 2018 season in which he registered an impressive 21 try assists, as well as being named Clive Churchill medallist and nailing down a regular spot in the halves for the Kangaroos, Keary has displayed all the qualities gained from these experiences and astoundingly improved his level of performance on last year.
At 27 and possessing the ability to cover at both five-eighth and halfback, the Roosters go to man is more than ready for Origin cauldron.
Following an unfortunate injury to Blues incumbent winger Tom Trbojevic and having broken bread on his feud with Blues coach Brad Fittler, Parramatta's Blake Ferguson has been thrust back into Origin contention after seemingly having his named marked only two series ago.
While Trbojevic's injury has assisted Ferguson's push for a recall, his outstanding 2018 and red-hot start to life at new club Parramatta would have had him in the conversation regardless. Ferguson has three tries and three try assists from his six appearances in 2019, as well as contributing an invaluable 177 running metres per game off the wing.
Having previously been slated for his selfish attitude, Ferguson has displayed maturity and toughness in the last season, typified by playing through a broken leg in the 2018 Grand Final for his former club the Roosters.
Ferguson would be a straight swap for Trbojevic as the Manly speedster was deployed on the right for the Blues in 2018, the same side Ferguson operates on for Parramatta. He has also taken up a leadership role since joining the Eels, a quality that can only bode well for the seven-time Origin representative in a largely more youthful squad than in previous series.
While Ferguson has a chequered past, his performances over the past two seasons have screamed of Origin quality, and he is more than ready for a return to the world's toughest arena.
Much like his cross-town rival Luke Keary, Cody Walker has had a red-hot start to 2019 under new coach Wayne Bennett. A late bloomer having debuted at the age of 26, Walker is well and truly on track to have his best season to date for the Bunnies.
While his form and performances on the field are noticeable enough, the numbers Walker is putting out are downright scary. In the opening seven rounds of the competition, Walker has scored seven tries (the most in the competition), recorded six-try assists and five-line break assists.
Currently at Souths, Walker does not have to worry about game management thanks to his dominant halves partner Adam Reynolds, which allows him to run the ball regularly and take on the line to great effect. Walker could have a similarly damaging effect at Origin level if paired with any of the potential halves candidates, as well as playing behind a similarly destructive pack, much like the one he is used to at Souths.
Having thoroughly outplayed Blues incumbent five-eighth James Maloney during a 22-18 win over the Panthers in round six, Walker seems more than ready to be handed his Origin debut.
While Jesse Ramien’s output and highlight reel has not been as noticeable as his final season at Cronulla, that is largely down to the Knights primarily attacking through big guns Kalyn Ponga and Mitch Pearce down the left edge.
Although the PMs XIII representative has been starved of possession, every time he has touched the ball, he has looked dangerous and the numbers back it up. Ramien already has an astounding 41 tackle busts for the season at right centre, second only to Blues fullback James Tedesco.
He is also still averaging nearly 100 running metres per game despite seeing minimal ball and has also substantially outplayed Blues incumbent right centre, James Roberts. While Ramien may not be as fast as the Broncos' speedster, his tackle-breaking ability and physicality are tailor-made for Origin level. He has also made more tackles than the incumbent Blues centre, an issue often raised when it comes to Robert’s ability to play at Origin level.
Since his debut in round one of the 2017 season, 20-year-old Raiders junior Nick Cotric has barely put a foot wrong. He's scored an incredible 30 tries from 55 games since his debut as a teenager only two years ago.
While Blake Ferguson is arguably in better form right now, Cotric doesn’t have any of the previous indiscretions against his name and also has the added upside of being nine years Ferguson’s junior with the potential for a long Origin career ahead of him.
Blessed with a large frame and impressive pace and agility for a man of his size, Cotric utilises these assets well in close quarters to often break the first tackle. Although he is still young, these physical abilities would allow him to thrive at Origin level. The Canberra junior has also continuously displayed a remarkable ability to contort his body in order to stay in the field of play while planting the ball down.
Having been selected by Brad Fittler as the 19th man for Origin I and having been involved in the Blues' inner sanctum for most of the 2018 series, Cotric is familiar with the Blues structures and modes of operating, which can only help his push for selection.
If Fittler is to continue to promote youth as he did in the successful 2018 campaign, Nick Cotric has to be one of the first cabs off the rank in terms of selection.