The issue of replacing outside backs has become a significant talking point in the NRL this season.
A recently published AAP analysis of the first 12 rounds shows that at least one back was injured before or at halftime in 23 matches this year, failing to return. The teams most affected by these injuries have won only six of those games, losing 17, with an average scoreline of 22-12 against them once they lost a back.
Notably, Queensland has included Selwyn Cobbo on the bench for game one, ready to fill any gaps out wide, with NSW looking to Hudson Young as a potential solution for their utility role.
The dynamic Raider is typically a back-rower, but is prepared to defend at centre if required, stating he is ready to step into any position the team needs.
"The movements are pretty similar," Young said regarding his potential shift to centre.
"I've done it before in club land and if I'm needed to do it I will. Hopefully no one goes down, but we train for it all the time in Canberra - and at every club. Players can play other positions."
"There are versatile players in the team," noted Nicho Hynes, who has previously spoken about the difficulties of defending out of position in last year's series.
"You've got Cam McInnes, who can cover anywhere in the forwards and at No.9, then you've got Hudson Young, who can probably jump out in the centres. Angus Crichton can probably jump in the centres, I could cover fullback if anything happens, and you could make Cam a service player in the middle."
While Hynes is no doubt still grappling with mental scars after missing a tackle (playing out of position) on Cameron Munster leading to a NSW loss, he remains unconcerned on the surface about the upcoming series.
"Fingers crossed that no one has to do that, that everything goes to plan for usโbut it's Origin, nothing always goes to plan," he said.
Blues hooker Reece Robson also weighed in, suggesting that the quality of players at the Origin level mitigates some of the concerns seen at the club level.
"The way Origin goes ... it's a high-quality player filling in," Robson explained.
"It's probably a little bit different at club level, where you might have someone out of position that's not really confident there. You get players at Origin level, everyone's pretty confident to do a job wherever they get put."
