Blues Centre Latrell Mitchell Ruled Out of Origin II, Moses Eyed for Return
The New South Wales (NSW) Blues are facing significant selection challenges for the upcoming second State of Origin clash in Melbourne, with star centre Latrell Mitchell officially out of contention. While Mitchell’s absence is a blow, coach Laurie Daley has indicated that five-eighth Mitchell Moses is likely to reclaim his starting jersey for the crucial game, provided he proves his fitness for Parramatta’s upcoming match.
South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett confirmed on Sunday that the dynamic centre would not be available for the Rabbitohs’ clash against Manly on Thursday. Bennett further elaborated that Mitchell’s return from a persistent back injury is not expected until round 17, when Souths face Parramatta. This date falls well after the second Origin game on June 18 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), effectively ending any hopes of his participation.
Mitchell had been a standout performer in the National Rugby League (NRL) prior to his injury, which he sustained against the Newcastle Knights. He missed a subsequent game against the Cronulla Sharks before making a brief return for Magic Round. However, the injury flared up again, forcing him to withdraw from consideration for the first Origin match. While there was hope he might be fit for Souths’ fixture against Manly, Bennett stated his recovery would take approximately another month.
“His back is no worse, it’s just taken a little longer to rehab, that’s all,” Bennett explained. “He won’t be picked in Origin. He won’t be back until we play Parra, which is after Origin II.”
Injury Updates and Potential Replacements
In more positive news for the Rabbitohs, centre Campbell Graham is expected to return for the Sea Eagles clash, having recovered from a calf injury.
For the Blues’ second Origin outing, Stephen Crichton and Kotoni Staggs are the likely centre pairing, assuming they remain injury-free.
The focus then shifts to the halves, where Mitchell Moses is anticipated to overcome a hamstring complaint. He is expected to feature for the Parramatta Eels in their upcoming match against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs next Monday. Following this game, coach Daley is set to announce his team for the Origin clash. Canterbury fullback Jacob Kiraz is also being closely monitored by the NSW coaching staff.
Other key players available for selection include Brisbane Broncos prop Payne Haas, who has recovered from a knee injury, and Penrith Panthers back-rower Liam Martin, also nursing a knee issue. Wests Tigers captain Api Koroisau and Sydney Roosters utility Connor Watson are reportedly in the running to fill the void left by hooker Blayke Brailey, who is sidelined with a broken arm.
Moses’s Potential Return and Blues’ Slow Starts
Mitchell Moses was initially named as the starting NSW five-eighth for the opening Origin encounter. However, he was forced to withdraw due to a tight hamstring just two days before the game against the Queensland Maroons. His replacement, Ethan Strange, made an impressive debut for the Canberra Raiders and demonstrated he could hold his own at the Origin level, leading to speculation he might retain the role.
Despite Strange’s commendable performance, Daley appears inclined to stick with Moses if he proves his fitness. “I think Mitch has proven himself at that level in the past, and he’s a very important member of the team,” Daley commented. “It’s not a bad hammy, and to be fair, the doc said if he had a week to recover, he would. It was really minor. The beauty with Ethan is you can also play him anywhere, not just No. 6, but in the centres and even lock.”
The Blues have struggled with slow starts in recent Origin matches. They found themselves trailing significantly at halftime in the opening game of the series last Wednesday, down 20-6. This pattern echoes previous encounters, including a 20-0 deficit at halftime in game three last year in Sydney and a 26-6 gap at the break in Perth.
“We were slow out of the blocks in Perth, probably didn’t handle the emotion of the occasion and what Queensland might throw at us in Sydney, while last Wednesday was mainly to do with errors – we didn’t hold the ball,” Daley reflected.
He acknowledged that the late change in the halves contributed to the team’s disjointed opening. “People have also overlooked we trained with a guy at five-eighth all week, and while Ethan was excellent, he only slotted in there late, and had spent most of the camp training everywhere else, which was always going to upset our rhythm at the start.”
Daley concluded by stressing the need to address these early-game struggles. “Having said that, we need to work out why we have started slow. We’re all aware of it. I’ll also have to look at what I’m doing or not doing.” The coach’s focus will undoubtedly be on rectifying these issues as the Blues aim to level the series in Melbourne.
