NSW are set to recall Cody Walker for the third game of the State of Origin series as Brad Fittler looks to solve the bench problems that haunted the Blues in the opening two games.
At 11am on Monday, the Blues will officially announce their full team for the series finale at Sydney's Accor Stadium on July 12, pushing that deadline back from 8.30am as Fittler deliberated his final selections.
The competition's leader in try assists, South Sydney five-eighth Walker is not expected to dislodge Penrith's Jarome Luai from the No.6 jersey but rather fill the interchange spot previously held by Nicho Hynes and Damien Cook.
Walker has four games of Origin experience, most recently featuring in all three matches of 2020's post-season series.
Fittler deployed him as a bench utility in the first game of that series, a tight loss to Queensland.
Fittler has struggled to manage his bench all series.
He named Hynes as a utility for Origin I but only played him for 12 minutes late, and then deployed hooker Damien Cook as a centre in the second game of the series after injury struck down Tom Trbojevic.
Prop Stefano Utoikamanu and South Sydney captain Cameron Murray were also given less time on the field than expected in NSW's hefty Origin II defeat.
Fittler is poised to drop Utoikamanu for game three along with Canberra second-rower Hudson Young, who had an underwhelming first two games in Blue.
James Tedesco will retain his spot as fullback and captain despite concerns over his form and stiff challenges from Dylan Edwards and Scott Drinkwater in recent weeks.
Prop Payne Haas, NSW's best player in Origin II, will be named despite aggravating an ankle injury playing for Brisbane at the weekend.
The Broncos are expected to release an update on his condition on Monday.
