Daley to – Laurie Daley is poised to drop Origin debutant Ethan Strange after Mitch Moses’ hamstring recovery, while Billy Slater recalls Reece Walsh for State of Origin II despite a brutal weekend that sparked online fury.
By the time June 17 arrives at the MCG, two selection calls will already feel like battles. For Laurie Daley. the difficulty is obvious: after Ethan Strange delivered a debut to remember in New South Wales’ opening-game win. the Blues coach is still weighing whether to rip up the No.6 spot. For Billy Slater. the choice is even more personal: Reece Walsh is set to return to the Maroons despite the Broncos fullback enduring a punishing run that included defensive lapses. fan backlash and a heated on-field exchange.
Origin II teams were unveiled on Monday, and both coaches now face decisions that go beyond team balance. Daley appears ready to recall Mitch Moses after the Parramatta playmaker recovered from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the series opener in Brisbane. If that happens, Strange would lose the No.6 jersey.
Strange’s case is hard to ignore. The Origin debutant starred in the Blues’ 22-20 victory. running for 135 metres. breaking the line. delivering two line-break assists and scoring a try at Accor Stadium. Yet Daley is still expected to make the change—one that has quickly drawn sharp reaction across rugby league circles.
Denan Kemp, a former NRL winger, challenged the logic of the switch. On SEN, he said: “Mitch Moses is a gun. He may come in and kill it. and I’ll not be surprised.” Then he turned to the part that didn’t sit right with him. “But what I can’t get is. let’s flip the scenarios right now.” Kemp asked readers to imagine a world where Queensland win if Sam Walker plays like he did on the weekend. with a returning Cam Munster coming back to take the No.7 spot. “That sounds insane, doesn’t it?. But that’s what we’re doing.”.
Kemp also rejected the idea that Moses is needed to take pressure off Nathan Cleary. “Help a four-time winning Premiership player run a team?. Cleary doesn’t need help running the team,” he said. His wider point was blunt: Moses is being asked to play “out of position”, taking “the spot of a genuine 6”.
Daley’s intent, at least, appears clear. Even with criticism swirling around the move. he is expected to back Moses’ experience as the Blues try to seal the series. Changes aren’t expected to stop in the halves. Payne Haas is also set to return to the starting side after missing Game I. while Addin Fonua-Blake is expected to shift back to the bench.
Then there’s Jacob Saifiti. He is reportedly facing the axe after failing to take the field in the series opener. The final bench position, though, remains unsettled. Api Koroisau and Connor Watson are reportedly battling for the vacant utility role following Blayke Brailey’s injury.
Queensland’s selection story carries a different kind of sting—less about debate over form, more about the weight of what Reece Walsh did and what supporters demanded in response.
Walsh was overlooked for the opening game, but he is now expected to return to the Maroons squad after Kalyn Ponga’s injury concerns and a reshuffle to Slater’s side. The recall arrives despite the criticism Walsh attracted during Brisbane’s dramatic 28-23 loss to Gold Coast on Saturday night.
That night was a highlight reel for the Titans and an exhausting one for Walsh. Phillip Sami beat Walsh for a spectacular 70-metre solo try. Later, Walsh became embroiled in a visible on-field argument with teammate Jack Gosiewski. His night ended with even greater pain: Keano Kini produced a stunning chip-and-chase match-winner in the dying stages.
Walsh appeared to hesitate as the ball bounced free, allowing Kini to regather and race away for the winning try. The moment sparked fury online. One fan wrote: “Awful from Reece Walsh absolutely pathetic.” Another added: “As good as that was from Titans Walsh absolutely bottled that challenge.”
Despite that noise, Slater appears prepared to back Walsh’s attacking brilliance on the representative stage.
There’s more movement in Queensland’s plans. Dolphins forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is set to make his Origin debut after Patrick Carrigan was ruled out through injury. Cowboys winger Murray Taulagi is expected to join the extended squad. while the Maroons are tipped to make four changes in total from the side beaten in Sydney.
Queensland Maroons – State of Origin Game II Squad list includes: Kalyn Ponga. Selwyn Cobbo. Robert Toia. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. Jojo Fifita. Cameron Munster. Sam Walker. Thomas Flegler. Harry Grant. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui. Briton Nikora. Kurt Capewell. Reuben Cotter. Max Plath. Lindsay Collins. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki. Trent Loiero. Reece Walsh. Murray Taulagi. Heilum Luki.
For Daley and Slater, the common thread is the same: the teams for June 17 at the MCG won’t just reflect what happened in Game I and Game II build-up—it will reflect who each coach is willing to trust when the pressure peaks and the margins get smaller by the minute.
State of Origin II Laurie Daley Ethan Strange Mitch Moses Billy Slater Reece Walsh Kalyn Ponga injury Queensland Maroons Nathan Cleary Sam Walker Origin teams