As State of Origin II draws near at Melbourne’s MCG next week, uncertainty hangs over the New South Wales Blues’ starting lineup after coach Laurie Daley opted to release his 22-man squad in alphabetical order this Monday, leaving fans and analysts guessing over key positional selections. The biggest question mark surrounds star playmaker Mitchell Moses, who is in line to make his return to the Origin stage after a late hamstring injury forced him out of the series opener just 24 hours before kickoff in Sydney.
Moses’ last-minute withdrawal came after a training incident 48 hours before game one, where the Blues pulled off one of the most memorable comebacks in Origin history: overturning a 20-point deficit to steal a win against the Queensland Maroons after Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off early in the second half. Stepping into Moses’ spot on debut, 20-year-old Ethan Strange delivered a breakout performance, crossing for a try and making several game-changing plays to anchor the Blues’ stunning comeback, and he retains his spot in Daley’s squad for game two.
While the alphabetical team announcement leaves it unconfirmed whether Moses will start in the halves alongside game one man of the match Nathan Cleary – which would mark just the second time the pair have partnered at Origin level – positive updates have emerged from Moses’ NRL club Parramatta. Parramatta head coach Jason Ryles confirmed the playmaker sat out the Eels’ tense loss to Canterbury Bulldogs on Monday to manage his recovery, but insists he is on track to take the field next week.
“Our medical team have advised that if he is selected and completes all his hamstring rehabilitation protocols, he will be fully fit to play,” Ryles told reporters. “He didn’t play today, but if we had a match this weekend, I’m confident he’d be out there with us. And when you get the chance to represent your state at Origin, you never turn that down.”
Daley has made three other key changes to the squad following the game one win. Star front-rower Payne Haas returns straight to the lineup after missing the opener through his own injury, pushing Knights prop Jacob Saifiti out of the matchday squad – Saifiti did not get any game time in Sydney. A broken arm to incumbent hooker Blayke Brailey has opened the door for Wests Tigers rake Api Koroisau to earn his first Origin selection since 2023, edging out New Zealand Warriors hooker Wayde Egan for the reserve spot. Dolphins young gun halfback Isaiya Katoa has also been called into the squad as a backup halves option, providing Daley with a contingency plan if Moses suffers a late setback in his recovery.
The full 22-man NSW Blues squad for Origin II, released via the team’s official social media channels on June 8, 2026, is: Mitchell Barnett, Nathan Cleary, Stephen Crichton, Addin Fonua-Blake, Payne Haas, Isaiya Katoa, Api Koroisau, Tolu Koula, Dylan Lucas, Casey McLean, Mitchell Moses, Cameron Murray, Haumole Olakau’atu, Victor Radley, Reece Robson, Kotoni Staggs, Ethan Strange, James Tedesco, Brian To’o, Isaah Yeo, Hudson Young.