Hudson Young, Apisai Koroisau, Nicho Hynes, Tyson Frizell and Tevita Pangai Jr have emerged as the biggest winners for NSW, with the Blues dropping a number of bombshell selections for the State of Origin opener in Adelaide. The make-up of Brad Fittler's squad was confirmed on Monday morning, with all five
NRL
stars to feature in the Blues' squad for the opening game on May 31 in Adelaide.
Pangai's inclusion is arguably the most left-field selection, with the Bulldogs enforcer coming in at the expense of Manly's Jake Trbojevic. Manly star ruled himself out after pulling up sore from his side's thumping win over Canberra on Sunday, having just returned from several weeks out with a calf...
NSW mainstays miss out as Blues make bombshell State of Origin calls
'If it happened again, I wasn't going to have a contract': How new Blue saved his career
Ricky Stuart hit Hudson Young straight between the eyes, without a hint of irony.
If it happened again, I wasn't going to have a contract at Canberra, Young says, with the sheepish grin most players on the end of a Sticky spray eventually muster. He wasn't wrong. If it happened again, I wasn't getting a contract at any club.
It wasn't the first time Young has had to confront his rugby league mortality, but ideally, it will the last. Young is now 24, with a starting NSW No.12 jersey and an upgraded, three-year Raiders deal worth a reported $2.8 million in the mail as well.
Souths gamble on Graham's Origin fitness
South Sydney Rabbitohs are considering playing centre Campbell Graham against Canberra Raiders on Saturday, despite his recent withdrawal from the NSW State of Origin camp due to a sternum injury.
Graham, who has been in impressive form for the NRL team, had been a strong contender for an Origin debut in the upcoming series opener on May 31.
However, a standout performance from Tom Trbojevic on the weekend saw Graham relegated to 18th man when the NSW squad was announced on Monday.
