The Mole: Half, fullback, hooker axed in NSW Blues team Laurie Daley must pick for Origin I
A new year, a new coach and time for some new faces - that's how I see the Blues Origin landscape.
I've made 10 changes to the team that won the series in fine style in Brisbane last July.
Picking the team on form, which Laurie Daley has to do, a host of changes need to be made - starting with the key fullback spot.
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Dylan Edwards is a fine player who did a great job last season - but the ageless James Tedesco has overtaken him as the form fullback in the Blues ranks.
Dylan Edwards is under pressure to hold his spot as NSW fullback. Getty
Teddy's performance in an inconsistent Roosters team has been outstanding and he deserves the number one jumper.
Newcastle's Bradman Best was centre in game three last year and scored a crucial try but his form this year - like the Knights - has been patchy at best.
Latrell Mitchell is a confidence player and produced his best game since joining Souths in the win over Brisbane.
The Maroons won't want him there and that's a good reason to pick him.
Zac Lomax returns this weekend but with no football behind him in recent weeks, is a risk.
Tom Trbojevic is also a risk but has never let the Blues down and on the wing, won't be under as much pressure as at fullback.
Jarome Luai did a fine job last series but with Nathan Cleary fit again, he has to be selected in the halves and I would pair him with Mitch Moses, who is at the top of his game in a poor Eels team.
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Will Jarome Luai's Tigers performances be enough to keep his Origin jersey? Mike Owen via Getty Images
My other big change is at hooker, where I think the Blues need a player to match Harry Grant's running game and smart dummyhalf work. Reece Robson is a solid forward who does his tackles in the middle but he doesn't have the pace to scoot out of dummyhalf or the ball play to trouble Queensland.
Veteran Api Koroisau is the best number nine in the Blues ranks and while he won't get picked, he would be my choice.
The toughest call is dropping incumbent skipper Jake Trbojevic, who got little game time last series.
Terrell May has been the best impact forward in the opening 10 rounds of the comp and like Latrell, the Maroons won't want him there.
Liam Martin hasn't been quite the same player as in recent years in the early rounds but I'd still have him in the squad on the bench with Canberra juggernaut Hudson Young in the run-on side.
THE MOLE'S NSW 17
1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To'o 3. Stephen Crichton 4. Latrell Mitchell 5. Tom Trbojevic 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Nathan Cleary (c) 8. Payne Haas 9. Api Koroisau 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Angus Crichton 12. Hudson Young 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Connor Watson 15. Spencer Leniu 16. Terrell May 17. Liam Martin
