New South Wales announced their Origin squad for Game I on Sunday night and one omission in particular caused quite a stir.
Despite having scored 10 tries in 12 games for the Blues, Canterbury’s Josh Addo-Carr was left out of the squad in favour of Sydney’s Daniel Tupou.
While Origin selectors often like to ‘pick and stick’ and honour players that have stood up at the level, New South Wales assistant Greg Alexander said the Blues simply couldn’t do that with Addo-Carr this time around due to Queensland’s wing threats.
“No, look the Foxx is out of form,” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“I know you pick players, and plenty of players have still been picked when they’re out of form or not in great form, but they’ve done the job before.
“In mind with what Queensland will be picking, we just decided that we’d go with Daniel Tupou on the wing instead of Josh Addo-Carr.
“Daniel Tupou has been in great form as well, he’s also been there before, he did a great job in 2020, I thought he was one of our better players in 2020.
“He’s a great carry out of his own end, he’s tall, he’s a target for our kicks and he can also defend their kicks.
“While you’d like to pick and stick as the term goes, and stay with those that have done the job, I think there’s some positions, some specialist positions, where you need to take into account what the other team will throw at you.”
In response to his omission, NSW coach Brad Fittler added that he’s spoken to ‘The Foxx’ and he says the Bulldog “belongs” at the level if he can get his form back where it needs to be.
“He’s so unique The Foxx, just the way he is around camp,” Fittler said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“It’s more of a case of Daniel Tupou playing his way in, what he’s done at the Roosters, how safe he is, the way he brings the ball out of trouble.
“I feel like at the moment … I don’t think it’d be right on Foxx or the team to go into Game I.
“We’ve communicated, and he’s committed to getting back in the team.
“My line to him was, he belongs here, that was a tough one.”
State of Origin Game I is set for Wednesday June 8 at Accor Stadium in Sydney.