Mitchell Moses has been officially ruled out of the State of Origin opener, delivering a significant setback to New South Wales' hopes in the series. The Blues playmaker succumbed to a hamstring issue following training on Monday, prompting scans that confirmed the injury.
Moses' Injury and Replacement
The five-eighth participated in team drills with the squad in Gosford but reported tightness, leading to medical assessment. The unfortunate news was confirmed on Tuesday morning, forcing NSW to expedite the inclusion of Canterbury five-eighth Matt Burton into camp ahead of Wednesday night's clash at Sydney's Accor Stadium.
Blues coach Laurie Daley explained the decision, stating it was 'too risky' to field Moses despite the injury not being classified as a 'major tear'. Canberra youngster Ethan Strange, initially named on the interchange, will now take the No. 6 jersey alongside halfback Nathan Cleary.
Ethan Strange's Opportunity
Strange, aged 21, is yet to debut in Origin but gained experience during the Kangaroos tour to England in the off-season. His recent form has drawn praise from legendary former Blues coach Phil Gould and NSW great Andrew Johns, particularly his instrumental role in Canberra's run to last year's minor premiership.
With 19 tries in 55 NRL games, Strange previously represented NSW in the 2023 U19s State of Origin match, where he scored a hat-trick. Daley has expressed full confidence in the young playmaker, saying, 'All I see is a kid that loves his footy. You've just got to compete, and that's what he does well. Those types of players are really suited to Origin.'
Facing Queensland's Rookie
Strange will come up against another Origin debutant in Queensland's Sam Walker, who has been identified as a key threat by NSW players. Blues centre Stephen Crichton commented on Monday, 'I feel like the game now is suited for players like that, and Walker's attack has been really good for the Roosters. I'm sure that he's going to be attacking the game on Wednesday night as well, and we have to be on our best to kill that.'
