The NSW Blues have officially announced their team for Game 3 of the 2026 State of Origin series, set to take place in Brisbane.
Head coach Laurie Daley has made several notable changes following the tumultuous lead-up to Game 2, which saw Stephen Crichton replaced just hours after the team's announcement.
Casey McLean, Crichton's replacement, was also sidelined shortly before the match.
In a surprising turn, Daley has decided to bring back Crichton while also giving Jack Bostock his first appearance in the series and adding Bradman Best to the lineup.
However, Tolutau Koula has been moved to the bench, and Brian To'o's exclusion stands out as a significant surprise, along with the dropping of Kotoni Staggs.
Another point of interest revolves around the halves, where Mitchell Moses was initially chosen for Game 1 but suffered a hamstring injury, leading to Ethan Strange's inclusion.
Despite a standout performance in Sydney, Strange was placed back on the bench for Game 2 as Moses returned to play alongside Nathan Cleary.
Now, Daley has opted to keep Moses paired with Cleary once more, with Strange remaining as a backup.
Liam Martin makes his return to the second-row after an injury kept him out of the first two matches.
Haumole Olakau'atu is also back, but will start on the bench after being dropped for Game 2.
Dylan Lucas has been omitted from the squad entirely.
While many have called for Cameron Murray to be a starter, he will remain on the bench, with Isaah Yeo taking his place at lock and Blayke Brailey stepping in for Apisai Koroisau.