Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler has confirmed that human wrecking ball Junior Paulo will start Game Three of the Ampol State of Origin series decider at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane tonight.
Fittler made the call on Paulo at yesterday’s Captain’s Run at Suncorp Stadium after his first choice prop Jordan McLean was forced to withdraw from camp with a hamstring injury last week and replaced by extended squad member Jacob Saifiti.
Paulo started the match in Game One in Sydney but was unable to produce his damaging best but returned to form in Game Two in Perth after starting off the bench and running for 123 metres, making two tackle busts and two offloads.
The temptation would have been to leave Paulo on the bench to wreak havoc when he was injected into the match but Fittler said he was the senior leader in the forward pack. Saifiti has filled both roles for his NRL club Newcastle Knights this season but will be eased into the game for his debut.
“We’ll start with Junior,” Fittler said.
“He has more experience, been with the team a lot longer and knows what’s expected.”
Fittler said the players were aware of the challenge facing them - with the Blues winning deciders in Brisbane on only two other occasions in 1994 and 2005 – but they weren’t focussed on it.
“We haven’t had that many in between then either,” Fittler said.
“To be fair they don’t come along every year and the teams who did that were great teams. They were both on the end of three-year winning streaks, so they had great combinations.
“That gives you an idea of they don’t come easy and obviously this crowd does a lot for their home team.
“We’re aware of the challenge ahead but this crew’s been together for a while so we actually need something like this.”
