The New South Wales Blues might be under new management in 2025, but there is almost certainly reason for incoming coach Laurie Daley to explore changes to the team who pulled off a stunning upset at Suncorp Stadium in Game 3 of last year's series.
The 20-year first for the Blues to win a decider at Suncorp Stadium came in the face of injuries, with Nathan Cleary's absence the key one, but heading into this year's series, there will be other positions under the microscope similar to the number seven jersey.
One of them is in the front row.
While Payne Haas is a walk up starter for the Blues, it's hard to argue any of the other props from last year's series are in the same boat.
Jake Trbojevic played limited minutes last year despite being captain, while Spencer Leniu's form hasn't matched the level on display leading into last year's series.
Mitchell Barnett, who debuted in Game 3 of last year's series, is a likely inclusion, but depth seemed an issue at prop last year for the Blues.
Terrell May has put his hand up over the opening month and a half of the season to seemingly address that issue, with his form making him one of the competition's in-form player.
The outright leader of Zero Tackle's NRL MVP at the end of Round 4, May has taken over as the forward pack leader at the Tigers since his eyebrow-raising departure from the Sydney Roosters late in the off-season.
May, in his first four games this year was averaging 187 metres per game, making almost 42 tackles per game at 98 per cent, and has added 12 offloads and 10 tackle busts with almost 60 post-contact metres per contest.
Despite the Tigers being blown out by the Broncos on Saturday evening at Suncorp Stadium, May's numbers were again strong with 140 metres, two tackle busts, an offload and 32 tackles with only a single miss from 70 minutes of rugby league.
His form has him in the Origin discussion, and speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, the prop revealed it has always been a dream to represent the Blues.
โI love the Origin arena and heard so many stories about the level of [intensity] โ I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to play,โ May told the publication.
โOne of my biggest goals and dreams is to put on a Blues jersey.
โWe used to have school fights with the boys who went for Queensland but were born here [NSW]. I don't care if you're born in Queensland and go for Queensland, but if you're born here and go for Queensland, you're no good in my book.โ
May, on top of his 58 NRL games, has three international caps for Samoa.
Origin 1 will be played at Suncorp Stadium - the scene of last year's thrilling series decider - on May 28, with Laurie Daley set to pick his team on Sunday, May 28 at the end of Round 11.
The Tigers play the final NRL game prior to selection, with the joint-venture to clash with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a Sunday evening clash on a weekend where there is no Thursday evening men's NRL game due to Game 2 of the women's State of Origin series in Sydney.
