Brad Fittler has described his sensational axing of Latrell Mitchell as "the hardest thing he's had to do" as a coach but said the Sydney Roosters centre had not been meeting the required standards for club and state.
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On a day of high drama for the Blues, Fittler made a stunning seven changes for Origin II at Perth's Optus Stadium next Sunday, which NSW must win to stay alive in the series.
NSW sent an SOS to James Maloney after Mitchell Pearce's unlikely Origin recall was sunk at the 11th hour due to injury. It forced Fittler to abandon plans to pair the Newcastle No.7 with Nathan Cleary in the halves, leaving him to turn to Cleary's Penrith teammate Maloney and reuniting the pair who steered NSW to a drought-breaking series triumph 12 months ago.
Maloney was overlooked for the opening game of the series as the Blues opted for Cody Walker. But his elevation wasn't the biggest shock at the selection table, with Fittler dumping Mitchell, who just a month ago was touted as potentially the world's best player. He scored two tries on his 22nd birthday as the Roosters dismantled the Bulldogs on Sunday.
Yet Fittler backed up his comments in the wake of the Origin I loss on his teamsheet, having said Mitchell needed to "work on his motivation".
"That's hard," Fittler said of Mitchell's surprise snub. "They're the tough ones. I'm sure he's going to be back and I saw he scored a couple of tries today, but we want to set standards and expectations and I most probably didn't think he matched them in the first game. That's the hardest thing I've had to do so far."
Pressed on the standards Mitchell didn't meet, Fittler said: "His training was great [before game one]. I didn't get that sign at all, but watching his footy for the Roosters and the game up at Suncorp . . . we most probably needed more energy, more input into the game. And that's why we've gone with someone that will give us more energy.
"Everyone wants to see Latrell play good. Everyone wants to see Latrell play for NSW and Australia. We want him back, but he's got to do a bit of hard work. The good thing was he scored a couple of tries today. If he's scoring tries you know he's not too far away."
Wade Graham, despite playing just 88 minutes of NRL since returning from an ACL tear, won a spot on the bench, with Tom Trbojevic also rushed into the team after only two games following a persistent hamstring problem. Blake Ferguson will end his Origin exile, less than two years after being fingered for a drinking session alongside Josh Dugan five days out from NSW's series deciding loss in 2017.
Melbourne workhorse Dale Finucane will finally make his NSW debut after years of near misses, while Newcastle prop Daniel Saifiti will be the seventh Blues debutant of the series. Tariq Sims will play his second Origin game off the bench.
Walker was axed from the halves after being benched mid-way through the second half of the series opening loss in Brisbane, joining Angus Crichton, Josh Morris and Mitchell as omissions. David Klemmer (wrist), Nick Cotric (ankle) and Payne Haas (hamstring) were all ruled out through injury. It means the Blues will field an almost unrecognisable backline from the one they rolled out less than a fortnight ago, with Trbojevic and Jack Wighton featuring in a new-look centre combination. Both haven't played centre at all this season for their clubs.
"We need to get over there and make it happen and I think those two blokes will make it happen," Fittler said.
Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns, a member of Fittler's support staff, will go into camp on day one with the Blues in a bid to spark their attack, which was heavily scrutinised following the loss at Suncorp Stadium.
On a crazy day leading up to announcing his game two team, Fittler said: "It wasn't chaotic. I dead-set live and breathe by the fact you can't pick the team until the last game is played. The rule is such an easy one to follow.
"You have things in your mind and you want things to roll a certain way, but when it's all said and done I don't think I can get a better side. I'm really comfortable with the way it looks."
NSW team for State of Origin II: 1. James Tedesco (Roosters), 2. Blake Ferguson (Eels), 3. Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), 4. Jack Wighton (Raiders), 5. Josh Addo-Carr (Storm), 6. James Maloney (Panthers), 7. Nathan Cleary (Panthers), 8. Daniel Saifiti (Knights), 9. Damien Cook (Rabbitohs), 10. Paul Vaughan (Dragons), 11. Boyd Cordner (Roosters), 12. Tyson Frizell (Dragons), 13. Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles). Reserves: 14. Dale Finucane (Storm), 15. Tariq Sims (Dragons), 16. Wade Graham (Sharks), 17. Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs).
