Blues coach Laurie Daley says it was a “hard call” to drop barnstorming back-rower Haumole Olakau’atu for Origin II, but he’s confident rookie Dylan Lucas will handle the occasion as NSW looks to wrap up the Origin series in Melbourne next week.
NSW named a 21-man squad on Monday night in alphabetical order, but few would have thought that Olakau’atu would be the man to miss out when the official team was released on Tuesday morning.
The Sea Eagles star has been enormous since Kieran Foran took over as coach, with the edge forward running for a game-high 250 metres in Manly’s win over the Rabbitohs last week.
Olakau’atu started the series opener and came off late with cramps, but he’s now dropped out of the 19 that will run out next Wednesday despite being widely considered the best back-rower in the world right now.
Daley explains the decision
“It’s always difficult to have those chats, but you’ve just got to make the decision on what you think is in the best interest of the team and what the team needs,” Daley said on Tuesday morning.
“It was difficult. We tried to see whether we could put him on the bench, but just the balance of the side and the balance of the bench with another back-rower there, we felt like we needed a big man.
“So it’s just one of those hard calls that you’ve got to make. He’s a destructive back-rower, but unfortunately (for him) we want to give Dylan a run in this game and I’m sure that he’ll play really well.”
Dylan Lucas to debut
Lucas has had a terrific season on the left edge for Newcastle and was unlucky to miss out on the game-day team in Sydney despite being part of the initial squad.
“I think he’s been in great form all year. His last few performances have been excellent,” Daley said.
“Like with all our young guys, they’re just keen to get out there and keen to play, keen to represent New South Wales. I think you saw how they all performed in game one, so there’s no reason to suggest that Dyl won’t handle it.”
Crichton ruled out
There is another significant change from the team that was named on Monday, with Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton ruled out due to an ongoing AC joint injury.
Young gun Casey McLean will replace him in the centres after coming on in game one following Tolu Koula’s head knock as a result of a shoulder charge that led to Kalyn Ponga being sent off.
Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has been brought into the extended squad as cover.
“After the (Bulldogs) game last night, I spoke to ‘Critta’ and he’s been carrying an AC joint injury and he’s a bit banged up,” Daley said.
“So he wouldn’t have been able to do a lot of training and in particular contact which is always a concern. He was just in no shape to be ready for an Origin game.
“What Casey did in game one was terrific coming off the bench, and someone that probably wasn’t going to get any game time but was thrust in and then to handle it as well as he did was pretty special.
“So there was no hesitation in putting a guy like Casey in. He handled it, so that gives us great belief.”
