NSW coach Brad Fittler has shown supreme faith in Daniel Saifiti by naming him in the run-on engine room for Wednesday's State of Origin series opener against Queensland at Adelaide Oval.
The Blues and Maroons reduced their squads for game one from 27 to 21 on Thursday and also announced their likely 17s, in which Saifiti will partner Parramatta's Junior Paulo up front.
Knights winger Edrick Lee was cut from Queensland's preliminary squad, while teammate Hymel Hunt was retained in the 21. The squads will be further trimmed to 19 players on Tuesday, and final teams will be locked in an hour before kick-off.
A surprise choice by NSW last year when teammate David Klemmer was injured, Saifiti handled himself admirably in games two and three to help the Blues win the series and retain the shield.
This year a knee injury restricted the 24-year-old to 14 games, but when fit he was a dominant force and played a major role in helping Newastle break their seven-season finals drought. The knee still requires workload management and Saifiti was was on light duties at NSW's training session on Thursday.
The calibre of middle forwards the Central Coast junior has beaten for a starting berth is testimony to how highly Fittler rates him.
Broncos juggernaut Payne Haas will be on the bench, while Penrith's Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Parramatta's Nathan Brown were not named in the 17.
"He just goes forward," Fittler said of Saifiti recently.
"He's got great offloads, he's got a quick play-the-ball. I really enjoyed him in the team last year."
While both teams are expected to rotate players during a brutal schedule of three battles in 14 days, Saifiti has a chance to stake a claim for a regular position.
Klemmer's shock omission, after 14 games and five series in the sky-blue jersey, has opened up a window of opportunity for new pack leader to emerge.
NSW SQUAD
1. James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)
2. Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
3. Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
4. Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders)
5. Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne Storm)
6. Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters)
7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8. Daniel Saifiti (Newcastle Knights)
9. Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
10. Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)
11. Boyd Cordner (c) (Sydney Roosters)
12. Tyson Frizell (St George Illawarra Dragons)
13. Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
14. Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
15. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
16. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
17. Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
18. Cameron McInnes (St George Illawarra Dragons)
19. Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Parramatta Eels)
20. Nathan Brown (Parramatta Eels)
21. Zac Lomax (St George Illawarra Dragons)
