Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler today named a 22-man squad for the third game of the Ampol State of Origin series at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, July 13, with the North Queensland Cowboys team. Jordan McLean selected to debut.
Fittler has largely kept the same starting lineup that beat Queensland 44-12 in the second game at Perth’s Optus Stadium to tie the series at 1-all. McLean, who was part of NSW’s expanded squad for the second game, replaces Payne Haas, who has been ruled out due to injury.
The five-eighth Jack Wighton of the Canberra Raiders, who played in the first game in Sydney but missed the second game with COVID-19, has been named 18th man. The expanded bank includes Clint Gutherson, Nicho Hynes, Jacob Saifiti and Reece Robson. Hynes, Saifiti and Robson have yet to debut in NSW.
McLean, who played with the Australian Kangaroos at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, has been part of the Cowboys ’success this season. He has averaged 116 yards per game and has a tackle efficiency of nearly 97 percent.
BRYDENS LAWYERS NSW BLUES SQUAD – THIRD GAME, SUNCORP STADIUM, BRISBANE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26
1. James German (c) (Sydney Roosters)
2. Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)
3. Matt Burton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
4. Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)
5. Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
6. Jarome Luai (Penrith Panthers)
7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8. Jordan McLean (North Queensland Cowboys)
9. Apisai Koroisau (Penrith Panthers)
10. Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
11. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
12. Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
13. Isaac Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
14. Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
15. Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
16. Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)
17. Siosifa Talakai (Cronulla-Sutherland sharks)
18. Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders)
19. Hynes Niche (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
20. Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
21. Jacob Saifiti (Newcastle Knights)
22. Reece Robson (North Queensland Cowboys)
Coach: Brad Fittler