We’re on the doorstep of the 2025 State of Origin series, with the Queensland and New South Wales teams to be announced next Sunday and Monday ahead of Game I on May 28.
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Before coaches Billy Slater and Laurie Daley finalise their teams though, there is one round of footy to be played.
Injury permitting, players such as Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster and Blues prop Payne Haas are locks no matter what happens this weekend, but there are still several question marks around some key positions.
Fox League’s Cooper Cronk has run his eye over a handful of the contentious positions still up for grabs and his verdict on who could win the battle for those spots.
Read on for Cooper Cronk’s Origin Verdict!
QUEENSLAND
Fullback
Cronk:I really like what Kalyn Ponga delivers in the Origin arena. Whenever he puts it together, it’s intimidating and scary for the Blues. He’s definitely the Queensland fullback and I think he’ll be a key player for them.
Wing
Cronk: I’ve been impressed with what Selwyn Cobbo has done over the past two to three weeks. He’s really got some high energy and involving himself in games as well as physically imposing himself but he’s the odd man out (behind Xavier Coates and Murray Taulagi), although I imagine he will play Origin this year as it’s a long season. I think he’ll go into Origin camp for Game I.
Centre
Cronk:I think it will be Valentine Holmes and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in the centres. I think Val is a lock at right centre. If it all lines up, it’ll be Hammer on the left against Stephen Crichton on the right. When Hammer plays fullback, he isn’t really tested defensively, but every time he plays for Queensland or Australia in the centres, he’s been rock solid. He’s a try scoring machine, really good defensively so he just needs to get through this weekend to be picked.
Halves
Cronk: Cam Munster will be the five-eighth. Daly Cherry-Evans is a lock for the No. 7 jersey in Game I but he’s been off the pace for Manly of late. He’ll be there but I think it’s a big game to show how much the Queensland jersey means to him. He doesn’t need to be the best player on the field, but he needs to have a focus and intensity about him and put in an inspired performance. He doesn’t need to be the matchwinner it just needs to be a wholehearted performance to show Billy that his best form is still there.
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Back Row
Cronk: Jeremiah Nanai is in the starting side for me. If you would have asked me that six weeks ago, I would have questioned it but Todd Payten has done a really good job of inspiring him back to his best football. He was dropped in the first week or two and was lackadasical with how he approached his football but in the last five weeks, he’s been inspiring. You watch when he pulls off a big hit or scores a try, there is intensity with the way he’s playing at the moment. I think he’s going to have a big series.
Bench
Cronk: Tom Dearden is 100% my 14 with Ben Hunt out injured.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Fullback
Cronk:Dylan Edwards will be the fullback. I think Ryan Papenhuyzen’s a bit behind Edwards and James Tedesco. He is an unfortunate one who misses out but I do think he’ll be in the Blues camp for Game I.
Wing
Cronk: Brian To’o came back last week and he looked a bit underdone but he’s a hell of a player and has done the job for the Blues plenty of times before. I think Tom Trbojevic will be on a wing. I think that’s the way that Laurie will go. Turbo has this desire to follow the ball around and get involved and every time he’s played for NSW on the wing or in the centres he moves out of his position and comes up with a play. So allowing Turbo just to roam and Latrell parked on the left as a threat, he just brings presence so I think it’ll be inevitable they’ll both be in the team. Turbo’s probably the more movable one out of the two. It depends on what Laurie does with the whole Mitchell and Trbojevic situation but if we focus on Zac Lomax, he’ll be excited this weekend. He’ll have his 20 runs or whatever but if I’m Laurie Daley, if Kalyn Ponga and the Knights left edge carves Lomax up and defensively Zac gets caught out, I think that would be a big red flag for me. If Zac wants to be a chance to play Origin, I think defensively, he’ll have to shut down the Knights and particularly Kalyn Ponga on Friday night.
Centre
Cronk:I think Latrell will be at left centre, Stephen Crichton at right centre. Mitchell is such a moments player. He’s one of the best moments players we have in the comp so him playing centre suits his personality and game style. He can just come in and out of the contest, give him the football and he’ll do something.
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Halves
Cronk:Mitch Moses will be picked. The ability what he has shown in Origin last year and in big moments for the Eels in different stages, I think he and Nathan Cleary will be the halves in Game I. Does he have to show anything this weekend? No, not really but if he wants to get his mate Zac Lomax in the side then maybe connect with him on a couple of kicks and passes and that might get his mate in. I wouldn’t have thought that Luai gets picked. He’s brought a lot of good things to the Tigers but his line break ability has gone missing a little bit. He hasn’t lost it, it’s just he’s focusing on other things at the moment being the chief playmaker. When he finds that good balance between both, he’ll get back to his best football. If he does play Origin, it’ll be because of his relationship with Cleary and Isaah Yeo but at the moment, Moses is in front of him.
Hooker
Cronk: Reece Robson and Connor Watson for me at the moment. Blayke Brailey is another hooker in the frame as is Api Koroisau, but I think the Tigers rake sits just behind the pairing of Robson and Watson.
Prop
Cronk:Payne Haas is a lock to start. I think what Mitch Barnett has done this season, particularly of late without James Fisher-Harris has been impressive. I think he’ll be in the NSW side. To be fair, I don’t know if it matters whether he starts or comes off the bench but I think he’ll be there. I understand why Matty Johns is so high on the Blues picking Jake Trbojevic. I’ve played with and seen guys who have Origin spirit written through them and Jake has that but performance is king. So if I’m Laurie Daley and the selectors, I’m picking him but he needs to play well (to keep his spot). Not yet for Terrell May in my opinion. He’s been great for the Tigers this year but needs more high quality games over a longer period of time than just the ten games this year to warrant selection.
Bench
Cronk: I don’t think you can move Connor Watson out of the bench utility role. He brings a really good dimension to NSW, especially with Robson, as he can play lock and cover the backs a little bit.
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