2025 Crystal Ball: Who will make their men's Origin debut?
AuthorNRL.comSun 5 Jan 2025, 06:01 am
After watching nine players make their state debut in the 2024 campaign, we're looking at who the most likely candidate is to breakthrough this coming season for the Blues or Maroons.
The NRL.com writers offer up their take on the players who will be in the frame to make their men's State of Origin debut in 2025.Who will make their men's Origin debut?
Brad Walter: Time and time again the value of having a genuine utility on the bench has been proven at Origin level but NSW have never been able to find another player with the versatility of Craig Wing. Melbourne's Tyran Wishart may not yet be in the same class as Wing, but he has stood up whenever called upon at the Storm and can comfortably play fullback, wing, five-eighth, halfback and hooker, as well as backrow if needed. Storm coach Craig Bellamy is obviously a fan and he will have input into the make-up of the NSW team so if Wishart continues to improve the Gerringong product could follow in the footsteps of father Rod, who played 22 Origins from 1990 to 1998.Cameron Mee: Melbourne youngster Trent Loiero is a forward with Queensland Origin written all over him. The lock was part of the Maroons extended squad throughout the 2024 series and was 18th man for the decider at Suncorp Stadium. The experience provided an important induction into the Queensland Origin environment and laid the foundation for an impressive finish to the season. Loiero will be 24 next year and is set to take his game to another level in 2025 in Craig Bellamy's Storm system. A forward with the capability to play on the edge or in the middle, Loiero has the ability to start or provide versatility as a bench option for Maroons coach Billy Slater.
Plath for two
Colleen Edwards: Suspension may have ruled him out of contention for Rookie of the Year this past season with the honour going to his team-mate Jack Bostock, but Dolphins halfback-turned-forward Max Plath's star continues to rise. Regarded as one of the fittest players at the club, Plath showed his utility value when he was thrust into the starting hooker role following a long-term injury in Round 17 to Jeremy Marshall-King. He also spent time at lock filling in for Tom Gilbert at the start of the season. With the fast pace and unpredictability of Origin, Plath looms as a versatile bench option for Queensland.
Corey Rosser: The Maroons are pretty well stocked in the middle right now, but I can see Broncos big man Corey Jensen getting a look in during the upcoming campaign, with Felise Kaufusi – who featured in all three games last year – turning 33 before the 2025 campaign kicks off and unlikely to feature again. An excellent defensive presence who tackled at just under 96 percent efficiency last season, in addition to averaging 129 metres while regularly being Brisbane's senior middle forward in the absence of Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan, Jensen is at the peak of his powers ahead of year nine in the NRL.
Corey Jensen Try
Martin Lenehan: Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham scored five tries in two Test matches for Australia at the 2022 World Cup but is yet to represent his state. After scoring 16 tries in 21 matches for Souths in 2023, Graham looked set to stake a claim for Blues selection in 2024, but the sternum injury he had battled for 12 months finally got the better of him and he went under the knife. Graham watched on helplessly as the Rabbitohs fell away in 2024 but he is primed to return next season and will have every chance to push his Origin claims. At 25, Graham has plenty of good years ahead of him and expect him to be one of the driving forces behind a Rabbitohs revival in 2025.
2025 Crystal Ball: Who will make their men's Origin debut?
After watching nine players make their state debut in the 2024 campaign, we're looking at who the most likely candidate is to breakthrough this coming season for the Blues or Maroons.
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