'I don't understand': Paul Gallen urges Blues to pick forgotten man if Nathan Cleary is ruled out of Origin decider

The eyes of the rugby league world be tuned on CommBank Stadium on Thursday night - and more specifically on the legs of Nathan Cleary.

New South Wales coaches and selectors will be praying the champion halfback gets through a game for Penrith without exacerbating a groin injury that hampered him in State of Origin II last week.

Cleary was almost a passenger for the first half of the game in Perth after injuring his groin during a training session the day prior.

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He - along with Penrith's other Origin representatives - sat out the trip to Auckland in round 16 but he is expected to be named to face the Bulldogs on Thursday night.

If he can't play, or if he is injured during the game this week, his place in the Blues halves for the series decider in Sydney on July 9 will be under serious question.

Luckily for NSW, selectors have a number of contingency plans to consider.

MATT BURTON

Former Blues captain Paul Gallen says Burton is the obvious one to come into the side if Cleary can't play.

Jarome Luai - who is a five-eighth but has been wearing the No.7 for Wests Tigers this year - would have to move to halfback for the Blues and take control of the team.

Burton played two Origin games in 2022 at centre but would come into the No.6 role if this was to happen.

The issue is both Burton and Luai are left-foot kickers who play on the left side of the field, and like to run the ball.

"It is a concern, whether (Cleary) will be right or not. He's a huge part of that team, probably the best player in the game," Gallen said of Cleary on Today on Monday morning.

"If he's not right, guys are talking about Isaiya Katoa and young fellas like that.

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"I don't know why we're not considering Matt Burton - he has been 18th man for at least three or four games.

"I don't understand why he doesn't come into consideration, go Jarome Luai (at halfback) and Matt Burton at five-eighth.

"He plays five-eighth for his club side, I think that is the way to go."

Burton was snubbed for the No.6 role in game two when Mitchell Moses went down injured in camp, and then Luai was called in.

ISAIYA KATOA

He is the hottest young playmaker in the NRL at the moment and is earning huge praise from the Immortal No.7 himself, Andrew Johns.

But Johns over the weekend issued a warning to Blues selectors not to throw Katoa into the Origin arena prematurely for fear of ruining his career, as happened to Knights half Jarrod Mullen little more than a decade ago.

And while Katoa is in hot form for the Dolphins, he is still very much learning the craft - as evidenced by supercoach Wayne Bennett dropping him from the NRL at the end of last season.

Nonetheless, the 21-year-old is a bona fide halfback who has been called a Cleary clone, and would no doubt step into those shoes if asked to.

LUKE METCALF

The Coffs Harbour product is having a breaking season with the Warriors and is a sneaky chance of winning this year's Dally M Medal.

He isn't overly experienced in terms of NRL games played - a total of 40 across five years with the Sharks and the Wahs - but at 26 years old he has certainly been around the game long enough to not be overawed by the big stage.

He has shown a knack for icing tight games and is in as good a form as any playmaker in the competition currently.

Metcalf did, though, look hampered by an injury during his side's loss to Penrith in round 16, so his availability may also be under a cloud.

ADAM REYNOLDS

The veteran halfback has remarkably only played two games for the Blues during his career - in 2016 - and lost both of them.

But if selectors are looking for a safe pair of hands to partner Luai in the absence of Cleary, Reynolds would certainly provide that.

He is about to turn 35 years old but still has the ability to guide a team and to come up with winning plays when required.

And he could have been Luai's halves partner full-time next year if he had accepted an offer from the Tigers, but ultimately knocked it back to re-sign with the Broncos.

Then again, the Blues may be reluctant to go down the path of picking a veteran given Daly Cherry-Evans' struggles in game one which led to Queensland sacking him.