Let Wayne’s Origin mind games begin
WAYNE Bennett’s mind games with the Blues have begun with Queensland utility Kurt Capewell set to make his Origin debut despite being named 18th man for Game One next Wednesday night.
Bennett confirmed he will make changes to his eventual starting side as the Queensland coach attempts to keep NSW rival Brad Fittler guessing ahead of the series opener at Adelaide Oval.
As required under NRL rules, Bennett released Queensland’s 21-man squad on Thursday, with Dane Gagai named in the centres, Titans flyer Phillip Sami chosen on the wing and Cap
ewell seemingly missing out as 18th man.
But it is understood Capewell will be promoted to win his maiden Maroons jumper at the expense of Sami, who faces the heartbreak of being cut from Queensland’s final 17, denying him a dream Origin debut.
Bennett rotated a number of his players at training today, with Sami, Gagai, Edrick Lee, Xavier Coates and Hymel Hunt all having stints on the Queensland flanks during a brutal session in the Gold Coast heat at Cbus Super Stadium.
But the one constant at left centre was Capewell, who is expected to push Gagai outside him on the wing, leaving
debutants Brenko Lee and Coates as Queensland’s rookie right-side pairing.
The Maroons traditionally have their most definitive training run on Sunday and Bennett revealed Capewell is in the mix for his Origin debut as he searches for the right formula to engineer a Blues boilover.
“Kurt is an option, he has good utility value,” Bennett said. “We were in a situation where we had to name a 21man squad and the 1-17 we selected (on Thursday) may not be the team come kick-off.
“We have 21 players in the squad and I will be looking at all 21 players.
“I’m watching training closely because I’m getting to
know many of these players and I’m trying to find out my best team come game day.”
Capewell has had a string of near misses in the Origin arena. The 27-year-old was named 18th man in the 2016 decider and narrowly missed out again last year, chosen as 19th man for the series opener at Suncorp Stadium.
A veteran of 73 NRL games, Capewell’s call-up for a Maroons debut would ease the agony of his Penrith side’s grand-final loss to Melbourne last Sunday.
Out-of-form Cowboy Coen Hess is a surprise choice in the back row, but there is a method to the madness. Back-rowers Jaydn Su’A and Felise Kaufusi both play on the right edge at club level and Bennett is reluctant to risk Su’A on the left in his Origin debut.
One option was to move Kaufusi to the left edge, but Bennett likes his right-side club combination with Lee and feels the Storm veteran can help his debutant teammate with his defensive reads at centre.
Queensland five-eighth Cameron Munster backed Capewell to handle an Origin baptism at left centre.
“I’m a big fan of Kurt,” Munster said. “I like the way he plays the game. He’s a footballer. He can play backrow, centre, wing … he’s got a left-hand carry which is good for our left edge.”