Mitchell Moses has been ruled out of the State of Origin series opener, with Ethan Strange set to make his debut for NSW at five-eighth.
Moses trained with the Blues in Gosford on Monday but complained of soreness in his hamstring at the conclusion of the session. The Parramatta playmaker was sent for scans, with the results ruling him out of game one at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Wednesday.
“It’s nothing major but it’s too risky 48 hours out from the game,” said Blues coach Laurie Daley. “It’s a big loss but Origin you expect nothing different, there’s always unexpected things that happen. We’ve got a really good strong group of young men and nothing fazes them.”
Canberra five-eighth Strange will partner Nathan Cleary in the halves in his Origin debut. Strange has 19 tries in 55 NRL games and was part of the Kangaroos’ squad during the 2025 Ashes tour.
“I’ve got a fair idea on Ethan as a player and I like the way he plays,” Daley said. “He’s got a strong running game and he backs his instincts, I’m not worried about Ethan.”
Canterbury’s Matt Burton has been added to the Blues’ six-man bench.
