NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley says the door isn’t shut on Mitchell Pearce but he faces a big task to displace 2014 series hero Trent Hodkinson.
Daley admitted it would be hard not to abide by the “pick and stick” mantra and remain loyal to the side which helped end Queensland’s eight-year State of Origin dominance.
Hodkinson received his Origin debut after Pearce was dropped following a late-night incident in Kings Cross and he played all three 2014 matches, scoring the series-clinching try in game two.
Pearce responded with a string of starring performance for the Roosters during the finals series and Daley said a line had not been drawn through his name.
“Anything’s a possibility,” said Daley in Coffs Harbour, where the Blues are to base their Origin camps for the next two years.
“But the two guys (Hodkinson and five eighth Josh Reynolds) did a fantastic job and hopefully they’re injury-free and you want them to be better than what they were last year.
“We want them to be putting consistent performances together and not resting on their laurels of last year.
“Those guys played well and earned the right to be there again and probably will be.
“But Mitch is one of those guys, we know he’s good enough to play and if he gets another opportunity he’s got to be ready to go.”
One of the biggest obstacles for Daley and his men to overcome in their Origin defence will be the loss of standout fullback Jarryd Hayne as he pursues a career in the NFL.
Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan, Brett Stewart and Will Hopoate are in the frame to wear the No.1 jersey this year.
While Queensland will likely go into the series as favourites to regain the title because of Hayne’s absence, Daley declared the Blues were bigger than one player.
“As long as the players aren’t thinking like that (they cannot win without Hayne),” he said.
“We’re not the team we want to be if we’re relying on one player. We’ve got to be stronger than that.
“When the door shuts, it opens for someone else … whoever that might be. If he does his job as well as he possibly can, that will contribute to the team performance.”
