The snubbing of Damien Cook in favour of Api Koroisau as the Blues hooker has come into focus amid Latrell Mitchell's surprise that his Souths teammate was overlooked for Origin I.
Cook has been the form NSW hooker in the NRL over the first 12 rounds, but Koroisau has found form at the Tigers at the right time and also has a connection with the Panthers players from his time at the club.
When he is doing his thing, playing his footy he is the best hooker in the game, 100 per cent, by a mile, Mitchell said of Cook.