Ethan Strange, a rising Canberra Raiders star, has been named in the NSW Blues' State of Origin extended bench for his debut.
A minor tweak to the NRL's interchange rules has opened the door for a young Canberra Raiders star to make his State of Origin debut for the NSW Blues in this year's series opener.
Four years after making his NRL debut in Round 24 of the 2023 season, Ethan Strange has been selected on the extended bench in the No.18 jersey
The call-up caps off a remarkable 12 months for the rising 21-year-old after a breakout 2025 campaign for the Raiders in first grade, which saw them claim the Minor Premiership before being named in the 2025 Ashes squad for the Australian Kangaroos.
"It was really special. It was like a dream sort of phone call," Strange said about receiving the news from Blues coach Laurie Daley that he would be representing his state.
"I didn't know if I was expecting it. It was a bit later and Hudson got the call a bit earlier than me so I wasn't 100 per cent sure.