Manly Warringah Sea Eagles forwards Jake Trbojevic and Haumole Olakau'atu have tonight been selected in the NSW Blues team for Game One of the 2024 State of Origin series.
And in further good news, Trbojevic has been named NSW captain for the first time.
Trbojevic has played 16 games for NSW after making his Blues debut in 2017.
He becomes the third Sea Eagles player to captain NSW behind Geoff Toovey and Max Krilich in the Origin period.
Two-time premiership winning Manly five-eighth Alan Thompson and prop Roy Bull captained NSW in the Interstate Series prior to Origin starting in 1980. All five players are proud Manly juniors.
Olakauátu has been handed his first NSW Origin jersey in recognition of his outstanding form this season for the Sea Eagles.
The powerful second-rower has been close to selection the last two years but he has gone to another level in 2024, being one of the NRL's most damaging edge runners. He has already represented Tonga at Test level.
"It has been (touching distance). If I'm being honest it has played with my head the last couple years," Olakau'atu said.
"But this year, I've really learned to just do what I could do for Manly and help my team get some wins in the season and just let my actions do some talking.
"I feel like my strength and physicality has been at a whole other level this year compared to what it was last year or the year before.
"And also just dealing with it mentally. It's been been pretty good this year, how I have dealt with it."
WESTPAC NSW Blues Squad
Ampol State of Origin, Game One
Accor Stadium, Sydney
Wednesday 5 June
1 Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers)
2 Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)
3 Stephen Crichton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
4 Joseph Sua’ali’i (Sydney Roosters)
5 Zac Lomax (St George Illawarra Dragons)
6 Jarome Luai (Penrith Panthers)
7 Nicholas Hynes (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
8 Jake Trbojevic (c) (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
9 Reece Robson (North Queensland Cowboys)
10 Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
11 Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
12 Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
13 Cameron McInnes (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
14 Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
15 Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
16 Spencer Leniu (Sydney Roosters)
17 Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
18 Matt Burton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
19 Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters)
20 Mitchell Barnett (Warriors)
Coach: Michael Maguire
