Rugby league legend Phil Gould has thrown his support behind a man who’s donned the Blue jersey before as NSW searches for a Nathan Cleary replacement.
Cleary injured his hamstring against the Dragons on Sunday night, and will be out for six weeks, and is unlikely to play any further part in the Origin series.
Gould believes Mitchell Moses should be the man to replace him with the Parramatta Eels halfback making his Blues debut back in 2021.
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Moses is likely to be competing for the role with Nicho Hynes and Adam Reynolds, with the decision on the No.7 looming as Brad Fittler’s biggest selection headache ahead of the must-win Origin II clash at Suncorp Stadium.
“My personal choice would be Mitchell Moses, that’s just my personal choice, but people are going to be divided on all aspects of this,” Gould said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“I just think that you need to consider where we’re going and what the atmosphere and football is going to be like and I guess either one of those fits that bill: Adam Reynolds or Mitchell Moses.”
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Since debuting for NSW, Moses’ game has improved significantly with the halfback leading the Eels to a grand final appearance last year.
Gould believes the only reason he hasn’t featured in more Origin matches is because of Cleary’s quality.
“He’s got a lot of aspects to his game that I like, if there wasn’t a Nathan Cleary around he’d have played probably another half a dozen Origins,” he said.
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“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.
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“I think he’s still got speed, he’s got a great kicking game, he’s got a long kicking game and a short kicking game, his long kicking game would be invaluable in Origin and he creates points and I just think he fits the bill nicely.
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“If I were coaching, he would be my first choice.”
According to, 9news reporter Danny Weidler the State of Origin squads won’t be named until Tuesday June 13 due to the Bulldogs playing Parramatta on the Monday.
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