NSW coach Brad Fittler insists there is a path back to the State of Origin arena for Nicho Hynes and defended his call to drop the Cronulla captain for the must-win second game of the series.
Fittler made five changes for next Wednesday's clash at Suncorp Stadium, with Game I debutants Hynes and Tevita Pangai Jr axed in favour of the uncapped Reece Robson and Stefano Utoikamanu, respectively.
Latrell Mitchell returns from the calf niggle that ruled him out of the series opener, while Mitch Moses and Damien Cook come in for the injured Nathan Cleary and Api Koroisau.
After swinging the axe following the Game I loss last year, Fittler was determined not to follow suit this time around.
"The whole idea was it was the least amount of changes," Fittler said.
"At the end of the day, we changed front-rowers. And we brought a hooker in instead of Nicho."
With one game of prior Origin experience, Moses is tasked with orchestrating the Blues' attack as Cleary's replacement at halfback.
Fittler has also reverted to previous plans of carrying a hooker on the bench, leaving no room for Hynes, one of the NRL's form players of the past two seasons.
The omission loomed as particularly harsh given Hynes was only afforded 12 minutes of game time to prove himself from the bench in the series opener.
While picking Moses has Hynes third or lower in Fittler's halfback rankings, the coach believed the Sharks captain would add to his maiden Origin cap.
"Without a doubt," he said.
"He's had such an incredible year really, on and off the field.
"We just felt after the weekend rounds and the way we wanted to play, there's just more certainly taking a second hooker around and getting a versatile player on.
"When you've got an outside back, you're looking for ways to get him into the game."
Fittler said Hynes would likely have been chosen in the extended squad as 19th man if the Sharks had a bye this weekend.
Instead, he has picked uncapped Keaon Koloamatangi, whose Rabbitohs have the weekend off.
"The Sharks where they are at the moment, they're great some weeks and not great other weeks," Fittler said.
"I think it's best, especially this week and next week, to give him some time to go back to Cronulla and get it right."
Utoikamanu was in camp for the series opener as 19th man and having coached him as a teenager, Fittler has long seen him as a star of the future.
"We spoke about a lot of front-rowers," Fittler said.
"I've always had a read that (Utoikamanu) is not intimidated. There's big names on the other side, he doesn't run away from it.
"I'm interested and nervous and all of it for him because I think he's definitely part of the future."
NSW Blues: James Tedesco (capt), Brian To'o, Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic, Josh Addo-Carr, Jarome Luai, Mitchell Moses, Junior Paulo, Damien Cook, Payne Haas, Tyson Frizell, Hudson Young, Isaah Yeo. Reserves: Stefano Utoikamanu, Cameron Murray, Liam Martin, Reece Robson, Stephen Crichton, Keaon Koloamatangi.
© AAP 2023