State of Origin teams 2024 LIVE updates: Jake Trbojevic set to replace James Tedesco as NSW Blues captain

James Tedesco has been dropped as NSW fullback and captain.

Despite a sterling performance in Saturday’s win against Canberra, the Roosters skipper has lost his Blues No.1 jersey to in-form Panther Dylan Edwards.

Tedesco is the seventh-most capped NSW player of all time, but his State of Origin career may be over after missing out on the series opener in Sydney on June 5.

There has been intrigue over the makeup of the first side named by new coach Michael Maguire, particularly after an injury crisis that has engulfed Nathan Cleary, Nicho Hynes, Cody Walker, Adam Reynolds, Tom Trbojevic, Cameron Murray, Bradman Best and Campbell Graham.

However, there is no bigger call than the decision to select Edwards over Tedesco.

Maguire has maintained that form will trump reputation and has been true to his word, opting for Edwards, who has been involved in the past four grand finals.

Edwards is currently on 30 Dally M points, the equal leader alongside Hynes. The 28-year-old is in sublime form again this year, scoring seven tries and averaging 233 running metres.

He has represented the Kangaroos on the wing, but will make his interstate debut in his customary fullback position.

The pressure has been building on Tedesco after struggling to produce his best form at club and representative level in 2023. However, the former Tiger has been back to his best this season and put pressure on Maguire with a big game against Canberra, scoring two tries, conjuring three tries assists and four line-break assists.

However, it wasn’t enough to retain his Blues jersey.

Liam Martin has had his scan results come back on that hamstring issue that forced him out of Saturday’s clash with Cronulla and it’s welcome good news on the Blues injury front.

The Panthers back-rower has been cleared of any damage and will be right to take his place for Michael Maguire on the right edge. Martin has established himself as a fixture for NSW in recent years and given all the casualties so far leading up to Origin I, the Blues sorely need him.

Jarome Luai does not care if he wears the NSW No. 6 or No. 7, and declared: “I don’t care, man, I just want that Blues jersey – I want my last name on my back again.”

Luai also revealed he had leaned on Panthers’ teammate Nathan Cleary to learn the finer points of halfback play, and how he was happy to play on the left or right side of the field for the Blues.

With Nicho Hynes struggling with an ongoing calf injury and unlikely to be picked for Origin I, Luai has firmed as the leading candidate for the NSW no.7 when the Blues squad is named.

Blues coach Michael Maguire is likely to name a 20-man squad on Sunday night but it may be delayed until Monday, due to a number of injury concerns.

“I always back myself in any situation,” Luai said on Saturday night, following Penrith’s 42-0 hammering of Cronulla.

“There are a lot of good players that will be picked in that [NSW] side. It’s in God’s hands now. Whatever happens, I’ll take it with both hands. If the opportunity comes, I’ll be ready to rock.

“I’m a left-footer, that’s why I’m comfortable on the left in terms of kicking. But if they need me to play right, I’ll play right. I love a challenge. Nothing really changes.”

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The Titans have pulled off a massive, and thrilling upset of the Broncos, prevailing 36-34 in one of the higher scoring games you’ll see at Suncorp Stadium.

The Gold Coast stormed home with four tries after halftime to down last year’s grand finalists, with David Fifita playing the house down before being forced off by a late HIA.

Has Fifita played his way into Billy Slater’s Origin side with two try-assists and 20 runs for 235 metres? He certainly looked to be at his best, and Des Hasler gruffly confirmed afterwards that the big man passed his HIA after fulltime, so no concerns about the NRL’s 11-day stand down policy.

Brisbane’s 34 points fell just short of the highest score by a losing side in the game’s history.

Fun fact, the Titans hold that unfortunate record – scoring 36 twice in 38-36 losses to the Knights in 2010 and Melbourne in 2017, alongside the Bulldogs (37-36 losers in 2005) and the mighty Hunter Mariners (downed 48-36 in 1997).

The Broncos didn’t deserve to get as close as they did with 14 errors and a couple of bombed tries.

Parramatta’s J’Maine Hopgood is on the verge of a maiden State of Origin cap as Billy Slater looks to rejuvenate his forward pack.

Hopgood, who has been a standout for the Eels since making the switch from Penrith at the beginning of last season, is expected to be included in Slater’s squad for game one at Accor Stadium.

Queensland’s selectors are toying with a surprise bench inclusion with Brisbane speedster Selwyn Cobbo being discussed as an interchange weapon to cover for any injuries to the outside backs during the match.

It means Melbourne’s Xavier Coates will nail down one wing spot alongside North Queensland’s Murray Taulagi, with Valentine Holmes and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow favoured to be in the centres.

Cobbo didn’t feature in last year’s series after game one, but has been scintillating form for the Broncos this season, even deputising for Reece Walsh at fullback.

So, Jake Trbojevic as captain – one of the biggest calls of Michael Maguire’s career, and in recent NSW history.

It remains to be seen if James Tedesco remains in the wider squad, but all indications are Dylan Edwards will get the nod as fullback and it’s unlikely an out and out No.1 will be carried as cover outside the Blues 17.

There’s also the question of whether a co-captain is needed given Trbojevic can play 80 minutes, but is no certainty to do so in the Origin furnace.

The Manly man has long been treasured by his teammates for his selfless and wholehearted approach to the game. As Andrew Webster wrote after Origin I in 2022, Brad Fittler and his coaching staff knew they’d made a mistake by axing Trbojevic, and rushed him back in for what was eventually a thumping win over Queensland in Perth.

He’s also one of the nicest people in the game, regularly whispering an apology to some poor opponent he’s just cut in half with a textbook tackle.

Without question, he’s a genuine leader. But Trbojevic has rarely captained given Daly Cherry-Evans has been in charge, and fit for pretty much all of his career at Manly.

Trbojevic first captained the Sea Eagles in 2016, just his second full season of NRL, standing in for Jamie Lyon.

In all, he’s captained the club 14 times – for five wins and nine losses, and last took charge in 2022 when Cherry-Evans was unavailable.

And for the record, Tedesco hadn’t captained a team at senior level at all when he took over as NSW skipper during the end-of-season 2020 Origin series after concussion ruled Boyd Cordner.

Queensland lock Pat Carrigan has been put on report as the Broncos lead the Gold Coast 24-16 at Suncorp Stadium.

It’s hardly the worst contact you’ll see, he’s clipped Titans prop Josiah Pahulu around the chin in the 11th minute. That looks a fine at worst for the Broncos star and nothing to worry about for Billy Slater and his selectors.

So too the contact that had Reece Walsh wincing earlier in the game, that was a very painful blow to the crown jewels that he’s since shaken off. Brisbane’s Selwyn Cobbo is also doing plenty right in defence – under the high ball and rushing in to shut down a few Titans raids – as he pushes for an Origin recall.

The Broncos are no sure thing is this game, they’ve scored four tries across the first 40 minutes but the Titans have stayed in it with three of their own. Erin Clark shoved his way through some pretty feeble goal line defence right before the break, Kevin Walters won’t be happy.

Michael Maguire is set to make his first major call of NSW’s Origin campaign by handing Manly warhorse Jake Trbojevic the captaincy for game one of the series.

The Sea Eagles veteran is poised to take over from incumbent skipper James Tedesco as the Blues leader and start the series in the front row.

The move to install Trbojevic as his captain is the clearest indication yet that Tedesco is in danger of losing his fullback spot to Penrith’s Dylan Edwards.

Tedesco has been NSW skipper since midway through the 2020 series after replacing clubmate Boyd Cordner, and has played 22 straight games for the Blues as one of the state’s greatest ever fullbacks.

Trbojevic’s rise to lead NSW is set to pit him against Manly teammate and entrenched Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans.

Trbojevic, 30, has been a Blues regular throughout 16 appearances aside from his controversial axing by previous NSW coach Brad Fittler for game one, 2022, before being recalled for the following match.

Latrell Mitchell is set to be passed over for Origin I selection as Michael Maguire continues to weigh up his outside back options.

Mitchell confirmed he is “100 per cent” available to play for the Blues following Souths breakthrough win over Parramatta, having weighed up prioritising club football over representative duties given the Rabbitohs disastrous season.

The South Sydney superstar can avoid suspension for a hip-drop tackle on Eels centre Sean Russell, but this masthead has been told that Maguire won’t include Mitchell as a centre option in his first NSW squad.

The Herald reported on Friday that Maguire was considering naming Origin rookies Zac Lomax and Joseph Suaalii in an extended Blues squad.

Stephen Crichton is considered a lock for one centre position, with Cronulla’s Jesse Ramien also in the frame.