As State of Origin II approaches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, NSW Blues star playmaker Mitchell Moses is racing against time to prove his hamstring injury has healed enough to take his place in the starting side alongside Nathan Cleary, with Blues head coach Laurie Daley confirming a final fitness check will happen at Thursday’s team training session.
Moses’ history of recent soft-tissue injuries has put his spot under the microscope: the Parramatta Eels playmaker was forced to withdraw from the series opener in Sydney just 24 hours before kickoff after pulling his hamstring during post-training extra drills – marking the first time he has suffered a hamstring injury in his professional career. Last year, a calf injury sustained in Origin camp sidelined him for the final two matches of the series, and persistent setbacks have limited him to just 21 total appearances across the 2024 and 2025 NRL seasons, with his last match coming back on May 16.
Despite Moses’ late injury withdrawal, stand-in halves partner Ethan Strange delivered a breakout performance for NSW in game one, putting in one of the best outings of any player on the field at Accor Stadium after being called in on extremely short notice. Still, Daley opted to turn to the experienced Moses, citing his elite kicking game as a key asset to pair with the in-form Cleary, who many analysts argue is playing the best rugby league of his career after a dominant display against the Tigers in his most recent NRL outing.
Daley has pushed back against concerns that selecting Moses is a risky call, saying he has full confidence in the playmaker’s recovery. “I don’t think it’s a risk,” the coach told reporters. “He’s ticked every box through the rehab process, and you don’t hold a player of his calibre back over what ifs. We’re confident he’ll get through the session and be right for next week. We’ve also got Ethan, who already proved he’s more than capable, ready to step in immediately if anything goes wrong during the game.”
Moses will not be required to complete the full training session Thursday, but will need to perform at full match intensity to prove his fitness. Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa has been named as emergency cover, but Daley noted that Katoa will still line up for his NRL club this Friday, a sign the coaching staff is optimistic about Moses’ chances of playing.
“If we had major concerns, we would have named Izzy in our extended 20-man squad already,” Daley explained. “Right now, we’re comfortable with where things stand.”
For his part, Moses says he is fully confident his body will hold up, and is eager to pull on the Blues jersey for just the second time ever pairing with Cleary in the Origin halves. The two combined for an encouraging performance in last year’s series opener, silencing critics who claimed two specialist halfbacks could not build effective chemistry at the highest level of interstate rugby league.
The veteran playmaker added that representing his state requires a team-first approach, saying that all star players need to set personal ambitions aside to pursue a collective win. “When you get into this side, you’re surrounded by the best players from every club,” Moses said. “Everyone has an ego – that’s what makes a lot of us good at what we do. But when you pull on this jersey, it’s not about your personal stats or individual glory anymore. It’s about the state, it’s about the team, and doing whatever job the side needs from you. I’m not here to take control, I’m just here to nail my role and help us get the result we need.”
Moses added that he and Cleary have built strong connection both on and off the field, saying it is easy to work alongside a player of Cleary’s caliber who is in such devastating form.