Former Blues centre Ryan Girdler says he would have picked Raiders fullback Jack Wighton on the NSW wing ahead of Will Hopoate for the opening game of the State of Origin series.
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Girdler's assessment echoes the sentiment of rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, who backed Wighton to break through for the Blues at some stage in this year's series.
Wighton will get the chance to press his Origin claims in Sunday's game against the Bulldogs at Canberra Stadium.
Girdler, who played 10 Origin matches for NSW, said Wighton's size and strength made him a perfect prototype for representative football.
"I probably would have gone with Wighton on the right wing as opposed to Hopoate," Girdler said. "I think he's in better form.
"He's a big body and he's the sort of guy coming out of trouble on play one and two, he puts his hand up and really puts a dent in the line. He would have been in my side."
Wighton, 22, started on the wing for the Raiders in his debut season in the NRL in 2012, but has also played at centre, five-eighth and now fullback. He has represented Country Origin three times and the Indigenous All-Stars twice.
Sunday's match is also an opportunity for Raiders five-eighth Blake Austin to prove his representative credentials after a stunning performance in this year's City-Country match.
Daley has gone with two specialist halfbacks, Mitchell Pearce from the Roosters, and incumbent Trent Hodkinson from the Bulldogs.
"Probably the only thing holding [Austin] back at the moment, which you can't have unless you're picked, is experience," Girdler said.
"Taking an inexperienced six into the first game without guys like [Greg] Bird and [Paul] Gallen in the side, such a key role, might have been a big ask and would have been a big risk by Loz, but his form warrants his name being in the frame.
"At this stage, he's probably just going to have to wait a little bit longer.
"Games two and three, depending on how they go in this first one, if his form stays up for the Raiders, he could come into consideration."
Like they did in last year's successful series, NSW have chosen four forwards on the bench and overlooked a utility player for insurance.
Austin or Wighton could have filled that void, but former Blues halfback Greg Alexander said he was more surprised by the omission of Sharks veteran Luke Lewis.
"Lewis has been a proven Origin player and if we get an injury to the outside backs or even the halves, Lewis was the man who could fill the hole," Alexander said.
"Austin could have done the job, he's been in good enough form.
"If they didn't go with Lewis, Blake Austin could have been the man to fill the role with his versatility."
