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Blues Bench Shockers: Origin Stars Sidelined!
9 Jun
Summary
- Ethan Strange benched for Mitchell Moses in Origin Game II.
- Haumole Olakau'atu surprisingly dropped to 20th man.
- Daley's selections could define his coaching legacy.
In a surprising turn of events for Game II of the State of Origin series, NSW coach Laurie Daley has made notable changes to his lineup. Five-eighth Ethan Strange, who performed well in the previous game, has been relegated to the bench in favor of the experienced Mitchell Moses. Even more unexpectedly, forward Haumole Olakau'atu, considered one of the NRL's best forwards this season, has been moved to the 20th man position.
Daley acknowledged the difficulty of these decisions, emphasizing they were made in the team's best interest. He cited the need for a specific type of player, opting for Dylan Lucas in Olakau'atu's spot. With NSW leading the series 1-0, these high-stakes selections could significantly impact Daley's coaching legacy, especially with Queensland eager to regain control of the series.
