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Warriors stand-out Egan opens up on State of Origin snub
Stephen Foote • May 21st, 2025 10:30 am
Photo: Photosport
One player who could deservedly count themselves unlucky to be excluded fromState of Origin selection this season is Warriors hooker Wayde Egan.
Egan's name wasn't amongst the 20 announced by Laurie Daley on Sunday, with the returning head coach deciding to stick with last year's formula of Reece Robson and Connor Watson at rake for the opening match of their title defence next week.
Egan has been among the most consistent performer for the surging Warriors, with his robust work around the fringes a large part of the team's rise to second in the competition standings.
Through 2025 to date, the 28-year-old sits atop all hookers for try contributions, third in total try involvements and inside the top 10 for both try assists and effective offloads.
While Egan insists his expectations of joining his Warriors skipper Mitchell Barnett in the Blues squad were tempered given the cavalry ahead of him and their winning efforts last year, he hasn't given up hope of playing some part in the three-match series.
"Obviously they've had a good run in the last couple of years and the guys in my position are doing a great job, so you couldn't expect them to debut someone I think," Egan told Sport Nation's Scotty & Izzy.
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"But you never know, anything can happen in the past couple of games."
A product of the rural NSW town of Lithgow, Egan admits selection would represent a career highlight.
"It was the pinnacle. When you're watching it growing up as a kid, you always dream of playing for New South Wales," he said. "If that opportunity came, it'd be unreal.
"But I'm just focused on playing good footy for the Warriors and getting us wins and we're doing that at the moment, which is really pleasing."
And those wins continue to stack up for the Auckland-based side. Currently amid a five-match streak, their record of 8-2 is their best since the 2002 season.
Egan credits the team's improved cohesion as a unit and the leadership group, particularly when games are in the balance, for their success.
"We have some great leaders in the squad and any time it gets close like that, we're pretty resilient.
"We don't stress too much about it because we have been in so many of those games this year that we sort of know how to win them, which has been really nice.
"I think in years past, we might not have been able to do that, but the calmness of the group and how connected we are sort of getting us those wins."
The Warriors will try to extend that streak to six games, when they face the Canberra Raiders in their long-awaited return to Mt Smart on Sunday.
Listen to the full interview below:
