The 2024 State of Origin series opener has already made history for an unexpected reason: NSW Blues prop Jacob Saifiti has become the first high-profile casualty of the competition’s controversial new six-man fluid interchange rule, left benched for the entire match at Sydney’s Accor Stadium even as his side clinched a thrilling last-gasp win.
Ahead of the game, Saifiti was the only specialist front-rower named in the Blues’ matchday squad, a role that would typically carry high importance given the wet, heavy playing conditions that favor physical forward play. But a late-game injury to winger Tolu Koula upended coach Laurie Daley’s substitution plans completely.
With 23 minutes left to play, Queensland Maroons star Kalyn Ponga delivered a high shoulder charge to Koula’s head, knocking the Blues winger out of the match and forcing Daley to adjust his bench strategy. Because the substitution was triggered by foul play, NSW was permitted to activate an extra reserve without it counting against the four allowed regular interchanges. To maintain attacking momentum while the team was still trailing, Daley opted to bring on outside back Casey McLean to replace Koula instead of sending Saifiti onto the field, leaving the Knights prop unused for the full 80 minutes. Only center Matt Burton also got a late run in the final minutes of the match, making Saifiti the only Blues bench player to not take the field.
The new interchange framework, which allows teams to name a six-man bench, has reshaped how coaches approach substitutions this series. Most coaches now hold three reserves for early rotations, then delay using a fourth interchange until the final 20 minutes, often leaving two players without any game time. Under the new rules, only Saifiti missed out entirely in the opener, a harsh outcome he says he saw coming.
Speaking to NewsWire after the match, Saifiti acknowledged that the structure of the new rules always carried the risk of going unused. “I knew with a six-man bench it was a possibility,” he said. “I was close to going on for Isaah Yeo just before halftime, but I knew at halftime we were chasing points, so it was a good chance I wasn’t going to get on. After Tolu went down, it was a free interchange, but we were still chasing points. Honestly, if we were winning, I probably go on in that situation. But the fact that they needed creativity meant I wasn’t going to.”
Despite the disappointment of sitting out the match, Saifiti said he bore no ill will over the call, and celebrated wildly when captain James Tedesco scored the match-winning try that sealed the opening game for the Blues. “I’ve been on the other side of it when we’re defending points they put me back on, so that’s the game we play,” he explained. “If we had a loss, then it probably would have stung a bit more, but we won so that’s great. I would have loved to have got on, but I’ll take the win any day of the week. I’m a staunch NSW supporter. Even if I wasn’t playing tonight or part of the squad, I would have been at home with my Blues jumper on, so I’m just so grateful to be part of the squad.”
The snub leaves Saifiti facing an uncertain future for the second game of the series, with Brisbane Broncos star prop Payne Haas waiting in the wings to return to the Blues starting squad after missing the opener with a minor knee injury. Haas, who is set to return to club football this weekend, downplayed talk of his Origin recall ahead of his Broncos commitments, saying: “To play for your state is always a blessing and it’s a huge honour, but for now I’m just worried about Broncos and doing my job for the boys here. I’ll just stay present here, worry about my footy here. We’re in a bit of a slump at the moment, so I just want to get back to playing Broncos footy and try and get the win this week.”
Beyond his own benching, the opening match brought a bittersweet moment for Saifiti, who counts Queensland’s Ponga – the player responsible for Koula’s injury – as one of his closest friends from their time together at the Newcastle Knights. Ponga was sent off immediately after the tackle and faced a likely ban before the match review committee only issued a fine, a decision that left Saifiti sympathetic to his teammate’s position. The prop said he waited until after the final whistle to reach out, wanting to give Ponga space to process the moment.
“He’s on the other side and he’s wearing a different jersey, but he’s honestly one of my good mates,” Saifiti said. “It’s probably too soon to go over and see him because I can only imagine how he’s feeling, so it’s a tough one. He’s such a competitor. I love the bloke, so I’ll reach out to him soon. I’ll let him do his thing in this next couple of hours, then I’ll give him a call and check up on him.”