Laurie Daley's recent decisions regarding the NSW Blues' lineup for the second State of Origin match have raised eyebrows, especially after a tight Game 1 win led by James Tedesco in the closing moments.
During the first half in Sydney, the Blues were clearly outperformed, with only Kalyn Ponga's shocking send-off allowing them to gain any advantage.
While adjustments were anticipated, particularly due to unavoidable injury changes, there are concerns that the QLD Maroons may dominate them again, pushing the series to a decisive Game 3 at Suncorp.
In a surprising move, coach Laurie Daley has placed Haumole Olakau'atu, considered the top second-rower in the competition, in the 20th position, despite his impressive performance in Game 1 where he recorded the highest running metres among Blues forwards.
Beyond representative play, Olakau'atu has excelled with the Manly Sea Eagles, amassing 266 metres and 140 post-contact metres against South Sydney in his last club match.
His form stands out, yet he has been overlooked for a debutant, Dylan Lucas, who has spent his entire NRL career on the opposite edge.
"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," Daley explained regarding Olakau'atu's exclusion.
"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."
Additionally, some reports suggested his omission was influenced by training workloads and performance concerns during Game 1, which led to cramping issues.