NSW’s State of Origin selection picture is closing in on its final shape, with Zac Lomax’s vacant wing spot and Stephen Crichton’s battle with Kotoni Staggs now among the biggest calls facing Laurie Daley before the Blues name their Game 1 squad.
Daley is expected to confirm his NSW team on Monday morning, with the Blues preparing for the 2026 series opener at Accor Stadium. The fullback race between James Tedesco and Dylan Edwards has taken much of the attention, but the outside-back puzzle may be just as important to the balance of the side.
Lomax’s absence has opened a major selection gap on the wing. Brian To’o is widely expected to hold one flank, leaving the other side as a genuine two-way race between Tolu Koula and Casey McLean. That decision could shape how much speed, size and defensive security NSW carry into Game 1.
Koula gives Daley versatility. He can cover centre, brings explosive pace and offers a useful option if NSW want flexibility across the backline. McLean offers a different profile, with size, youth and strong finishing ability, but picking him would also mean trusting a less experienced player in one of the most demanding arenas in rugby league.
The wing vacancy matters because Lomax gave NSW more than finishing power. His carries out of trouble, aerial work and physical edge helped the Blues start sets with authority. Whoever replaces him will be judged not just on tries, but on yardage, kick returns, defensive decisions and composure under Queensland’s pressure.
Crichton expected to hold off Staggs pressure
The other major call sits in the centres, where Stephen Crichton has been under pressure from Brisbane’s Kotoni Staggs. Crichton’s club form has been debated, but his Origin experience, defensive reading and big-game temperament appear to have kept him firmly in the frame.
Latest selection reports suggest Crichton is expected to retain his position, likely alongside Latrell Mitchell in the NSW centres. That would leave Staggs on the outside despite his strong claims as a powerful, direct ball-runner who can trouble Queensland’s edge defence.
Staggs has made the decision difficult because he brings the sort of aggression that can shift momentum quickly. He is dangerous close to the line, hard to stop one-on-one and capable of giving NSW a more forceful attacking edge. Crichton, however, offers a safer Origin profile: experienced, composed and proven in high-pressure games.
There has also been discussion around whether Crichton could be used on the wing to fit both players into the same backline, but that would move him away from his strongest position. With Lomax already unavailable, Daley may prefer to avoid too much reshuffling across the edges.
Daley’s Blues squad points to a wider reset
These selection calls come as NSW look to refresh their squad after last year’s series defeat. Daley has made clear that reputation alone will not be enough, and several new faces are pushing for roles across the team.
Mitchell Moses and Nathan Cleary are expected to form the halves pairing, while Latrell Mitchell’s return would give NSW a major strike weapon in the centres. Up front, Addin Fonua-Blake has been strongly linked with a Blues debut, while Ethan Strange has emerged as a possible bench utility.
The outside backs remain the most delicate part of the team sheet. If Crichton holds his place and To’o keeps one wing, Daley’s final backline shape may come down to whether he wants Koula’s versatility or McLean’s size and finishing upside in the spot left open by Lomax.
For NSW, the risk is clear. Queensland have often punished unsettled edge combinations, and Origin matches can turn on one defensive read, one kick contest or one early-set carry out of danger. Daley’s decision on the wing and centre positions will reveal whether the Blues are leaning toward loyalty, form, flexibility or a sharper selection reset.
By Monday morning, the debate around Lomax’s replacement and Crichton’s place in the side should finally have an answer. Until then, the Blues’ Game 1 squad remains shaped by two linked questions: who owns the vacant wing, and whether Crichton has done enough to keep Staggs out.
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