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Origin LIVE: Unorthodox plan NSW must consider for Strange
SEN • July 8th, 2026 9:57 am
- The series is tied 1-1
- NSW have won the last two matches at Suncorp Stadium
- Kick off @ 8:05pm AEST
After the greatest comeback in Origin history by NSW in Game I, followed by Queensland dismantling the Blues in front of a record-breaking crowd at the MCG, it all comes down to a Game III decider.
Can Laurie Daley claim his second shield as coach in his seventh attempt with NSW in front of a raucous Suncorp Stadium like Michael Maguire did in 2024, or will Billy Slater retain the shield for another year?
Make sure to follow all the build-up and action with our live blog alongside our THREE different live calls for the match on the SEN app or on your radio dial.
Johns: How the Blues should use Ethan Strange
One of the main talking points in the build-up to the clash from a NSW perspective has been the health of Ethan Strange.
The 21-year-old has been under an injury cloud throughout Origin camp after rolling his ankle with Matt Burton receiving a call-up to the squad in case the Raiders half couldn't play.
In his debut series for NSW, Strange played a big factor in their 20-point comeback in Game I having had to take on the No.6 jersey after Mitchell Moses was ruled out with a minor hamstring strain.
After that incredible debut, the Raiders half was relegated to the bench in favour of Moses for Game II.
As a result, Strange only played the final 16 minutes in their 44-24 defeat to the Maroons.
With Strange on the bench once again for Game III, Matty Johns has called for Laurie Daley to use Strange akin to the play style of Sea Eagles' legend Glenn Stewart as an extra five-eighth
“They still gotta find a way to get him on,” Johns explained on SEN’s The Run Home with Joel and Fletch.
“It's a tricky one because, the obvious one is if there's no injuries, is putting him on through the middle.
“I'll tell you what I think about boys and it's unorthodox, but he's been such a talented kid, he can play anywhere.
“We've seen him dominate in the centres, but I wouldn't put him in the centres.
“One thing I would consider is playing him almost like a Glenn Stewart type edge role, where if you're saying to Mitch and Nathan, ‘I want you to run the ball more’ (and) other times, just feed the ball to Ethan early and let Ethan play a little bit of shape off him, just like Gifty (Glenn Stewart) used to do.
“Just play Queensland on an edge, you know, stuff that they haven't seen before.”
Origin here to stay on Wednesday nights
It's been a huge 24 hours for the NRL and the ARLC following the announcement of its record breaking TV rights deal beginning in 2028.
While Nine, Foxtel and Sky NZ have all retained their position as the official broadcasters, it hasn't come cheap after agreeing to a $5.3 billion deal over seven years.
In the deal, it re-confirmed that Channel Nine would remain the exclusive rights holder of the men's and women's State of Origin series.
With Game II bringing Nine its biggest audience for an Origin match in its history with a total audience of 4,294,000, the series serve as one of its biggest events which has been helped by its standalone nature.
And while the ARLC will take back control of the draw, its chairman Peter V'Landys has confirmed that it will remain that way for the deal.
"When the State of Origin will be played, depending on the time of the year, is the decision of the NRL, but it will be on a Wednesday night unless Channel Nine agree otherwise," V'Landys confirmed on Tuesday.
"That's very valuable to Channel Nine to have it on a Wednesday night. If you take the money, you've also got to deliver the service.
"That's when we can maximise the viewing audiences on a Wednesday night and we agreed with Channel Nine on that."
