Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai were today named to make their debuts for the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues in Game Two of the Ampol State of Origin series at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday 26 June.
Burton will start in the centres while Talakai has been named on the bench. Other changes from the team which lost the opening game in Sydney include Stephen Crichton being named at centre; Apisai Koroisau at hooker; Jake Trbojevic in the front row; and Cameron Murray in the second row.
Nicho Hynes has been named as the 18th man while Joseph Suaalii, Jordan McLean, Clint Gutherson and Victor Radley are the reserves.
The team left Sydney today and will be based for the first part of camp at the beach side community of Scarborough before moving to Perth on Friday 24 June. The team will gather for the team photo at Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club later today.
NSW BLUES SQUAD – GAME TWO, OPTUS STADIUM, PERTH, SUNDAY 26 JUNE
1. James Tedesco (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. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
9. Apisai Koroisau (Penrith Panthers)
10. Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
11. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
12. Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
13. Isaah 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. Nicho Hynes (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
19. Joseph Suaalii (Sydney Roosters)
20. Jordan McLean (North Queensland Cowboys)
21. Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
22. Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters)
Coach: Brad Fittler