New South Wales selectors are scrambling to come up with a new halves pairing after Nathan Cleary was ruled out of Origin II.
The two-time premiership winning halfback tore a hamstring when playing for the Panthers on Sunday, leaving the Blues in disarray as they face mission impossible – winning at Suncorp Stadium to tie the series.
There’s a small handful of options to fill his No.7 jumper in game two on June 21, with Nicho Hynes the leading contender to fill Cleary’s shoes. Yet there are strong cases for alternatives that would leave Hynes’ Origin dream in tatters.
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And it’s not just the No.7 jersey in question. The selectors may yet pull the trigger and switch the No.6, too.
We run the rule over potential Blues combinations for the do-or-die June 21 battle at Suncorp Stadium.
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NICHO HYNES AND JAROME LUAI
It’s the obvious solution and the one most likely to happen.
Hynes is the reigning Dally M Medal winner and was already in the Blues side for game one, albeit on the bench.
In Paul Gallen’s column for Wide World of Sports on Monday, the former Blues skipper endorsed the Sharks playmaker to replace Cleary.
“His leadership is good, he can control a game and steer his team around the park, and his kicking is great,” Gallen wrote.
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Hynes has developed into a genuine controlling No.7 but has a strong running game to boot, and is a sizeable body in the defensive line.
He and Luai have played side by side previously during junior touch football tournaments.
There aren’t many players more deserving of a crack at the starting spot based on his form over the last 18 months.
NICHO HYNES AND CODY WALKER
If you’re picking purely on club form, this is the halves pairing NSW should go with.
Walker’s form for South Sydney has been far and above any other five-eighth at the Blues’ disposal, including that of Luai.
He has an incredible eight tries and 19 try assists for the Bunnies in 14 games this year. A tackle efficiency of 87.8 per cent shows he’s no mug on the other side of the ball, either.
Counting in his favour – aside from his personal form this season – will be Latrell Mitchell’s return as NSW’s left centre. Walker and Mitchell form a lethal combination at club level and it would no doubt strike fear into that Maroons edge if they were to team up for their state.
Counting against a Walker recall will be his record at Origin level to date.
From four appearances in the NSW jumper he has won only once. His last appearance – in game three of the 2020 series – ended horribly, being knocked out cold and failing to remember the entire game.
In his WWOS column, Gallen said Luai deserved to keep his spot based on game one. But he admitted had Cleary been injured before Origin I, the Blues may have gone with a Hynes-Walker combination.
ADAM REYNOLDS AND CODY WALKER
NSW selectors have shown a liking for club combinations previously, and reuniting this one will no doubt be a tempting proposal.
Reynolds and Walker spent six seasons together steering the Rabbitohs juggernaut, and leading the cardinal and myrtle side to the 2021 grand final, ultimately losing to Penrith.
Reynolds is the ideal managing halfback and Walker is an out-and-out five-eighth. Better than that, they know each other’s style intricately.
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The veteran playmaker’s form for Brisbane has been exceptional, and he now calls Suncorp Stadium home, potentially giving him an advantage in the must-win game two in Brisbane. He plays there more regularly than the Queensland halves.
Reynolds has experience in big games – winning the 2014 grand final with the Bunnies – although lost his only two Origin games in 2016 when called on to partner James Maloney.
He’s also a smaller body than some other NSW options, and has a concerning injury history.
MITCHELL MOSES AND JAROME LUAI
Moses’ one and only Origin game to date came in the 2021 dead rubber, when he and Jack Wighton were called on to replace Cleary and Luai in the halves positions.
The knock on the Eels playmaker has been his ability to ice big games. The Blues lost that game three in 2021 – although Moses was injured in the process – while Parramatta lost last year’s grand final to Penrith.
Parramatta has lost a number of tight games this season, but Moses did kick the winning field goal in extra time against the Panthers in round four.
The Eels have faith Moses can win them a grand final eventually, evidenced by the contract extension he’s signed reportedly worth upwards of $1.2 million a year.
Former Blues coach Phil Gould named Moses as his ideal Cleary replacement.
“He came in to replace Nathan once and I didn’t think he was all that bad on the night and would be better for the experience, that’s just my personal choice, I would be going with him,” Gould told Nine’s 100% Footy.
The 2019 Dally M halfback of the year likely won’t get many more chances to wear the blue jersey given Cleary is blocking his representative path, and will be for the rest of his career.
He has never played in the halves alongside Walker, Luai, or Hynes.
MITCHELL MOSES AND CODY WALKER
If Gould is correct and Moses is the leading contender to replace Cleary, the Blues could be looking at a complete halves revamp.
The Walker-Mitchell combination can hold up just as well whether the No.7 is Hynes, Reynolds, or Mitchell.
A strength of Moses’ is his kicking in play, as well as goalkicking which this year has reaped a 79 per cent success rate for the Eels.
He’s a right-side dominant player at club level, and could leave Walker to control the left-edge attack for the Blues.
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