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North Queensland hooker Reece Robson will make his State of Origin debut for NSW within the must-win second sport of the sequence.
Robson and South Sydney veteran Damien Cook dinner are each set to be named on the group sheet on Tuesday morning after incumbent hooker Api Koroisau went down with a damaged jaw taking part in for Wests Tigers on Thursday.
Coach Todd Payten confirmed to AAP that Robson was informed through the Cowboys’ bye weekend that he had been given the nod to play at Suncorp Stadium on June 21.
“It’s nice information, it’s superior for Reece,” he stated.
Robson’s choice comes after he was a member of the prolonged squad in his breakout 2022 season and has Fittler reverting to his system of carrying a hooker on his bench, as he did with Cook dinner final yr.
Robson will develop into solely the fifth Cowboys participant to signify NSW and the primary since premiership-winning prop James Tamou in 2016.
Robson’s choice means the Blues are extremely unlikely to hold a specialist half on the bench as they did with Nicho Hynes within the sequence opener.
Initially the front-runner to switch the injured Nathan Cleary at halfback, Hynes had his most disappointing sport in current reminiscence because the Sharks fell 54-10 to Melbourne on Sunday.
Mitch Moses and Adam Reynolds are the opposite two contenders and at the moment are in scorching pursuit.
However Blues assistant coach and selector Greg Alexander stated Hynes was nonetheless firmly within the body after two standout NRL seasons.
Hynes clinched the Dally M Medal final yr and was equal third on the leaderboard for this season when voting went behind closed doorways in spherical 12.
“Nicho has had an incredible 18 months,” Alexander stated on SEN.
“I don’t know if one efficiency guidelines you out of the facet.
“It’s actually value speaking about. Many would say, ‘That’s it’ … however he’s bought a good bit of credit score within the financial institution.”
The Blues can be unable to substantiate their squad till after Monday’s conflict between Canterbury and Parramatta, wherein Moses has one final probability to affirm his Origin credentials.
Canterbury’s Tevita Pangai Jr and Matt Burton are additionally in rivalry for NSW spots, after beginning within the entrance row and being chosen as 18th man, respectively within the sequence opener.
Eels prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard is vying for an Origin recall, whereas teammate Junior Paulo seems prone to be named.
– AAP