Rampaging Rabbitoh realistic about Origin selection
South Sydney enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi is realistic about missing out on the NSW starting 17 after the dominant performance from the Blues' big men in Origin I.
Despite the Rabbitohs forward having arguably the best month of his career - racking up over 200 run metres in each of his past four games - he didn't expect coach Laurie Daley to change his winning formula.
An ACL tear to Warriors forward Mitch Barnett opened the door for a new forward in the NSW team, but Daley chose to elevate game one squad member Stefano Utoikamanu, with Koloamatangi coming onto the extended bench.
"Obviously you want to be able to play and be in the 17, but everything happens for a reason," Koloamatangi told AAP.
"The team would have been obviously unchanged because of the dominant win in game one, so I'm just happy to be here."
The 27-year-old says he's eager to use the experience of the Blues' camp to learn off the likes of game-one hero Payne Haas.
Koloamatangi played one game of Origin in 2022 and will use his NSW recall to soak up the confident atmosphere before game two in Perth next Wednesday.
"You can always improve your game no matter how good you are," Koloamatangi said on Tuesday.
"I'm just looking forward to being able to train with the boys and see what they're doing on a daily basis that people don't see."
Another unlucky player on Daley's extended bench is 18th man Matt Burton, who will now miss Canterbury's game against Koloamatangi's Rabbitohs on Sunday.
Burton is no stranger to the No.18 jersey, having filled the role several times for NSW in the past, and says preparing as a utility presents unique challenges.
"Eighteenth man's a bit tricky, you don't know where you're going to get to come on," Burton told AAP.
"It's just about me getting my reps during the week at different positions and go from there."
Burton's club coach Cameron Ciraldo has been critical in the past of not being able to pick Origin 18th men for club duties, but his five-eighth insists his coach was full of good wishes for the experience.
"(Ciraldo) was pumped for me to be back in this arena and around the group," Burton said.
"We (the Bulldogs) obviously want players in this arena so he didn't say too much, just 'Enjoy the week'."
South Sydney enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi is realistic about missing out on the NSW starting 17 after the dominant performance from the Blues' big men in Origin I.
Despite the Rabbitohs forward having arguably the best month of his career - racking up over 200 run metres in each of his past four games - he didn't expect coach Laurie Daley to change his winning formula.
An ACL tear to Warriors forward Mitch Barnett opened the door for a new forward in the NSW team, but Daley chose to elevate game one squad member Stefano Utoikamanu, with Koloamatangi coming onto the extended bench.
"Obviously you want to be able to play and be in the 17, but everything happens for a reason," Koloamatangi told AAP.
"The team would have been obviously unchanged because of the dominant win in game one, so I'm just happy to be here."
The 27-year-old says he's eager to use the experience of the Blues' camp to learn off the likes of game-one hero Payne Haas.
Koloamatangi played one game of Origin in 2022 and will use his NSW recall to soak up the confident atmosphere before game two in Perth next Wednesday.
"You can always improve your game no matter how good you are," Koloamatangi said on Tuesday.
"I'm just looking forward to being able to train with the boys and see what they're doing on a daily basis that people don't see."
Another unlucky player on Daley's extended bench is 18th man Matt Burton, who will now miss Canterbury's game against Koloamatangi's Rabbitohs on Sunday.
Burton is no stranger to the No.18 jersey, having filled the role several times for NSW in the past, and says preparing as a utility presents unique challenges.
"Eighteenth man's a bit tricky, you don't know where you're going to get to come on," Burton told AAP.
"It's just about me getting my reps during the week at different positions and go from there."
Burton's club coach Cameron Ciraldo has been critical in the past of not being able to pick Origin 18th men for club duties, but his five-eighth insists his coach was full of good wishes for the experience.
"(Ciraldo) was pumped for me to be back in this arena and around the group," Burton said.
"We (the Bulldogs) obviously want players in this arena so he didn't say too much, just 'Enjoy the week'."
South Sydney enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi is realistic about missing out on the NSW starting 17 after the dominant performance from the Blues' big men in Origin I.
Despite the Rabbitohs forward having arguably the best month of his career - racking up over 200 run metres in each of his past four games - he didn't expect coach Laurie Daley to change his winning formula.
An ACL tear to Warriors forward Mitch Barnett opened the door for a new forward in the NSW team, but Daley chose to elevate game one squad member Stefano Utoikamanu, with Koloamatangi coming onto the extended bench.
"Obviously you want to be able to play and be in the 17, but everything happens for a reason," Koloamatangi told AAP.
"The team would have been obviously unchanged because of the dominant win in game one, so I'm just happy to be here."
The 27-year-old says he's eager to use the experience of the Blues' camp to learn off the likes of game-one hero Payne Haas.
Koloamatangi played one game of Origin in 2022 and will use his NSW recall to soak up the confident atmosphere before game two in Perth next Wednesday.
"You can always improve your game no matter how good you are," Koloamatangi said on Tuesday.
"I'm just looking forward to being able to train with the boys and see what they're doing on a daily basis that people don't see."
Another unlucky player on Daley's extended bench is 18th man Matt Burton, who will now miss Canterbury's game against Koloamatangi's Rabbitohs on Sunday.
Burton is no stranger to the No.18 jersey, having filled the role several times for NSW in the past, and says preparing as a utility presents unique challenges.
"Eighteenth man's a bit tricky, you don't know where you're going to get to come on," Burton told AAP.
"It's just about me getting my reps during the week at different positions and go from there."
Burton's club coach Cameron Ciraldo has been critical in the past of not being able to pick Origin 18th men for club duties, but his five-eighth insists his coach was full of good wishes for the experience.
"(Ciraldo) was pumped for me to be back in this arena and around the group," Burton said.
"We (the Bulldogs) obviously want players in this arena so he didn't say too much, just 'Enjoy the week'."
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The Wests Tigers co-captain, who had been overlooked for Moses in the game one win, was contacted by Daley and team performance manager Frank Ponissi. Five-eighth for last year's series win, Luai heeded the call and will reunite with former Penrith teammate Nathan Cleary in the halves for his 11th Origin cap. "I've done the work, I've been here before. I know what it takes," Luai said on arrival at the team hotel in Leura on Thursday night. "We've got a good squad so I just need to do my job and give the other boys confidence as well." It marks the second time in as many series NSW have been forced to lean on a key player they initially rejected, having called fullback James Tedesco in at similarly late notice for last year's series opener. Tedesco was dropped from the team once Dylan Edwards recovered from injury for Origin II last year. But Luai said he was not yet considering his selection prospects should Moses be fit in time for Origin III. "I'm not worried about what's next. I'm worried about the present moment," he said. "I'm really excited and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I know there were a few options they could've went with but I'll make sure I repay that faith." The NRL has already granted the Blues an exemption to bring Luai into the team from outside the 20-man squad Daley had named on Tuesday. Daley defended the Blues' call to pick Luai ahead of Canterbury five-eighth Matt Burton, who was already in camp as replacement player. The coach said the chance to reignite Luai and Cleary's combination, which won four premierships at the Panthers, was too good to refuse. "Back playing together, there'd be an energy and a synergy there," Daley said. "(Luai) played there last year, has got a good combination with Nathan and he's that left-side player. "He'll do a fine job." Burton's ability to cover the outside backs and halves has made him a favoured choice for NSW's replacement role, which he is filling for the fifth time in eight Origin games. "(Burton) would be disappointed, you'd want him to be disappointed, but he gives us a bit more versatility in that 18th-man role," Daley said. "He can play a few more positions. I just think Jarome and Nathan's combination, they've had so much success." Queensland are wary of the dangers posed by the Cleary-Luai combination, first forged a decade ago in Penrith's junior system. "They've played all their footy together at the Panthers. When it comes to Origin football they'll be a dangerous threat," said winger Xavier Coates. Daley was impressed by Luai's attitude after he was overlooked for game one and felt he would respond to the pressures of a last-minute call-up with similar positivity. "Luai handled it (the initial rejection) with such class and he said if I needed him, he'd be ready to go," Daley said. "So when I rang him, he said, 'Sweet, I'm ready to go'. That filled me with confidence. "I don't think anything fazes Jarome. He's always up for a challenge and the bigger the challenge, the better he goes." History has repeated itself with NSW forced to call upon a player they had initially dumped as the Blues hunt a series victory in Perth. Jarome Luai answered coach Laurie Daley's SOS call on Thursday after Moses was rubbed out of game 2 because of a calf strain suffered in camp. The Wests Tigers co-captain, who had been overlooked for Moses in the game one win, was contacted by Daley and team performance manager Frank Ponissi. Five-eighth for last year's series win, Luai heeded the call and will reunite with former Penrith teammate Nathan Cleary in the halves for his 11th Origin cap. "I've done the work, I've been here before. I know what it takes," Luai said on arrival at the team hotel in Leura on Thursday night. "We've got a good squad so I just need to do my job and give the other boys confidence as well." It marks the second time in as many series NSW have been forced to lean on a key player they initially rejected, having called fullback James Tedesco in at similarly late notice for last year's series opener. Tedesco was dropped from the team once Dylan Edwards recovered from injury for Origin II last year. But Luai said he was not yet considering his selection prospects should Moses be fit in time for Origin III. "I'm not worried about what's next. I'm worried about the present moment," he said. "I'm really excited and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I know there were a few options they could've went with but I'll make sure I repay that faith." The NRL has already granted the Blues an exemption to bring Luai into the team from outside the 20-man squad Daley had named on Tuesday. Daley defended the Blues' call to pick Luai ahead of Canterbury five-eighth Matt Burton, who was already in camp as replacement player. The coach said the chance to reignite Luai and Cleary's combination, which won four premierships at the Panthers, was too good to refuse. "Back playing together, there'd be an energy and a synergy there," Daley said. "(Luai) played there last year, has got a good combination with Nathan and he's that left-side player. "He'll do a fine job." Burton's ability to cover the outside backs and halves has made him a favoured choice for NSW's replacement role, which he is filling for the fifth time in eight Origin games. "(Burton) would be disappointed, you'd want him to be disappointed, but he gives us a bit more versatility in that 18th-man role," Daley said. "He can play a few more positions. I just think Jarome and Nathan's combination, they've had so much success." Queensland are wary of the dangers posed by the Cleary-Luai combination, first forged a decade ago in Penrith's junior system. "They've played all their footy together at the Panthers. When it comes to Origin football they'll be a dangerous threat," said winger Xavier Coates. Daley was impressed by Luai's attitude after he was overlooked for game one and felt he would respond to the pressures of a last-minute call-up with similar positivity. "Luai handled it (the initial rejection) with such class and he said if I needed him, he'd be ready to go," Daley said. "So when I rang him, he said, 'Sweet, I'm ready to go'. That filled me with confidence. "I don't think anything fazes Jarome. He's always up for a challenge and the bigger the challenge, the better he goes."
