Dual premiership winner James Maloney has urged Laurie Daley not to pick Stefano Utoikamanu as the NSW coach mulls over his team for State of Origin Game 1.
The Origin series opener in Sydney is just two weeks away, and both NSW and Queensland will announce their squads following Magic Round on Monday.
Daley has several selection headaches, such as whether to go with incumbent Dylan Edwards at fullback or the in-form James Tedesco, and whether to pick the struggling Stephen Crichton or go with Kotoni Staggs at centre.
But his biggest headache arguably comes in the forwards.
With pack leader Payne Haas sidelined with injury and the likes of Addin Fonua-Blake and Keaon Koloamatangi struggling for form, his decision is not clear-cut.
But he has no shortage of options, such as Warriors forwards Mitch Barnett and Jackson Ford, Tigers duo Alex Twal and Terrell May and Melbourne enforcer Stefano Utoikamanu.
While there is also a growing school of thought that Isaah Yeo could start at prop.
But there is one player Maloney doesn’t want to see lining up for NSW in a fortnight’s time, Utoikamanu.
Maloney, who played 14 State of Origin games for the Blues between 2013 and 2019, said on news.com.au’s Extended Bench that the Storm prop doesn’t have the leg speed to succeed in the Origin arena.
“I like picking guys in Origin that have good leg speed. There is no way I could pick Stefano,” Maloney said onnews.com.au’s Extended Bench.
“I just think watching Melbourne for weeks and weeks, they lack punch.
“He’s a big body, but you want punch out of him, and I don’t think he has given that.”
James Maloney’s NSW Blues Origin team for Game 1:
1. Dylan Edwards
2. Josh Addo-Carr
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Brian To’o
6. Mitch Moses
7. Nathan Cleary
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Reece Robson
10. Mitch Barnett
11. Hudson Young
12. Haumole Olakau’atu
13. Cameron Murray
14. Ethan Strange
15. Jackson Ford
16. Isaah Yeo
17. Lindsay Smith
18. Connor Watson
19. Angus Crichton
Reece Walsh v Kalyn Ponga
While the Blues have a few selection questions, the Maroons’ biggest question is who wears the No. 1 jersey, Reece Walsh or Kalyn Ponga?
Queensland legend Cameron Smith called for Billy Slater to axe Walsh for the State of Origin series opener, feeling Kalyn Ponga offers more in the fullback role.
“The contentious positions were halfback and fullback, and I’ve gone for KP,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night.
“The form that KP’s shown in the past fortnight since coming back from that hamstring injury, I think he’s gotta be there.”
Ponga has played off the bench at Origin level before, and many are of the belief that he and Walsh can both be in the 19-man squad.
However, Maloney believes whichever way they go they can’t go wrong.
“You could go either way (at fullback) it’s not really a concern,” Maloney said on news.com.au’s Extended Bench.
“They’re both lethal and at some point they’ll both be on the field together and if you’re NSW, that’s a dangerous thought.
“I don’t think you could go wrong with picking either of them.”
You can watch all new episodes of news.com.au’s The Extended Bench every week on YouTube.
