Simmering Origin selection issues: Dire Munster form brings rookie into Maroons frame; Blues scramble to fill giant void

The NRL season is well and truly under way and now the eyes of the rugby league world turn towards State of Origin.

Queensland and New South Wales will name their respective squads and players will head into camp in less than four weeks, ahead of the series opener in Sydney on May 27.

Maroons coach Billy Slater and Blues counterpart Laurie Daley each have several selection headaches to sort out in the coming weeks.

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CONTENDERS TO FILL GIANT BLUES VOID

The Blues have lost arguably their most important player, with Broncos prop Payne Haas sidelined for up to two months with a knee injury.

It leaves a gaping void in the NSW pack, but Daley has several options on the table.

"We're lucky we have a lot of players who are playing good footy at the moment," Daley said at Monday's series launch in Melbourne.

With the revamped Origin eligibility rules coming into effect, Sharks and Tonga prop Addin Fonua-Blake is suddenly able to represent his state.

Fonua-Blake was previously ineligible given he had played for New Zealand. He is an obvious Haas replacement for Daley in the front row.

Warriors workhorse Jackson Ford is in hot form this season and has played his way into contention, while Tigers prop Terrell May was bizarrely snubbed by Daley last year but remains in the frame.

Warriors star Mitchell Barnett will be an obvious selection in the forward pack if he can get back to his best after an injury interrupted start to the season, while the Blues are trying to get an exemption for Penrith's Moses Leota - although Blues legend Andrew Johns is among those urging that not to happen, given Leota is technically not eligible under the rules.

Max King and Stefano Utoikamanu were underwhelming for the Blues last year and will be lucky to get picked again, while Spencer Leniu played all three games off the bench and had minimal impact, but will be considered by Daley for that role again.

MUNSTER FEELING THE HEAT

Cameron Munster was named Queensland captain during last year's series, but now faces the prospect of being dumped from the team.

While coach Slater is highly unlikely to axe Munster before game one, it must be said the Storm five-eighth's form has been off this season as Melbourne endures a five-game losing streak, sitting 15th on the ladder after seven rounds.

The veteran playmaker on Monday revealed he had been speaking to Penrith's Isaah Yeo about his plight, with the latter playing for NSW last year despite the Panthers going through a similar rough patch.

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Last year Slater made the sensational call to drop captain and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans mid-series, ending his Origin career in response to an 18-6 loss in game one.

"Hopefully I don't get the boot like Chez (Cherry-Evans) did after his one loss last year, so I'm looking forward to going out there and hopefully playing some good footy because at the moment, I haven't been doing that," Munster told media at Monday's Origin launch in Melbourne.

"I'm sure a lot of people probably think I've been below par, and I know (because) I'm my worst critic, so, hopefully, I can get back to playing some good footy and build on that, hopefully, before the series starts.

"That's what happens when pressure mounts and you don't win games and you think you can do it yourself. I wouldn't say that I'm not trying or my effort's not there, but it's just that things aren't falling into place that usually fall into place for me, so I've just got to keep working on it."

Queensland is almost certain to stick with Tom Dearden in the halves for Origin I, but the Maroons also have young gun halfback Sam Walker waiting for his chance to play for the state.

If Munster can't turn his form around soon, Slater may be forced to pull the trigger and bring Walker into the team alongside Dearden.

Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam is also in solid form this season and will come into the frame.

DALEY'S NO.1 HEADACHE

Superstar fullback James Tedesco has rediscovered his best football over the past 18 months and is putting serious pressure on Blues incumbent Dylan Edwards.

Tedesco was captain of NSW before being dumped by one-series coach Michael Maguire in 2024, and Edwards has filled the No.1 jersey in the last five games.

Tedesco won last year's Dally M Medal and was the NRL's best fullback for the 2025 season, but if Daley refused to pick him last year it's hard to see him dumping Edwards this time around.

"He and Dylan are both playing great," Daley said at Monday's launch.

"It will come down to whoever is playing the best, that's the fairest way you can do it and that's the way we'll be doing it."

The Roosters and Panthers are both in form and both fullbacks are performing well at club level. There is an argument that Tedesco offers more in attack than Edwards, who was less effective in last year's series than in 2024 but was playing through niggling injuries.

Tedesco is keen to win back the Blues jersey.

"Of course, that's always the dream to play for NSW, and if I'm called upon I'll take it with both hands," he told Nine's 100% Footy.

Daley said neither player would be picked out of position.

"No, they are fullbacks. There are other guys who offer versatility," he said.

MAROONS RACING THE CLOCK

Queensland is facing a No.1 crisis of its own, with the two leading contenders currently hamstrung in the casualty ward.

Broncos superstar Reece Walsh broke his cheekbone in round five and will be racing the clock for Origin I, while Knights captain Kalyn Ponga hasn't played since round two and is also pushing to get back on the field to press his Maroons case.

Slater has the luxury of a third option, though, and it's arguably as exciting as Walsh or Ponga.

Dolphins superstar Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is more than capable of playing fullback for his state, even if his club is struggling for form this season.

The smoky could be South Sydney's Jye Gray, as the pocket rocket has been mighty solid for the Bunnies this season, to the point where Wayne Bennett has decided to return Latrell Mitchell to his previous position as a permanent centre.

ROOSTERS STAR LEADING RACE TO WING

The exit of Zac Lomax from rugby league has opened up a new problem for Blues coach Daley.

Lomax was a gun on the wing for NSW last year, but now the coach has to find a new flanker to combat Queensland's.

Perhaps alleviating the headache for Daley somewhat is the injury to Manly star Tom Trbojevic last week. Trbojevic would have been a chance to come into the team, but now isn't an option for game one.

The leading contenders appear to be cross-code convert Mark Nawaqanitawase and try-scoring Penrith bolter Thomas Jenkins, who has jumped out of the ground this season to put himself in the frame.

Campbell Graham, Josh Addo-Carr, and Jacob Kiraz are other options but it seems Roosters flyer Nawaqanitawase is closing in on a Blues debut, despite the fact he will quit the NRL to return to rugby at year's end.

"Mark we will look at, yeah. He has been so impressive since coming across from rugby union," Daley said on Monday.

"There is a position there for someone, whoever puts their hand up."

DALEY CONSIDERS RAIDERS ROOKIE

Daley on Monday floated young gun Raiders five-eighth Ethan Strange as a bolter for the Blues team.

The No.6 jersey was split between Mitchell Moses and Jarome Luai last year, although the Blues won with Moses in the team and lost both games after he got injured.

Moses has performed well every time he's earned an Origin call-up but he is unlikely to knock Nathan Cleary out of the halfback role.

Dolphins young gun Isaiya Katoa was steaming towards an Origin jumper last year, but his form has dropped off this season along with his team's.

"It's interesting because Nathan is playing really well, Mitch Moses played well yesterday, Jarome is back, Ethan Strange from the Raiders is starting to play his best football so he is someone we think is going to be a future Origin player," Daley said.

"Hopefully he continues to put pressure on the incumbents. If he continues to play well and the Raiders win a few more games, there's no reason why he won't be a part of this team at some stage."

Strange was a member of the Kangaroos touring squad at the end of last season and is considered a representative star in waiting.