Penrith Panthers playmaker Nathan Cleary will be one of 11 new faces in the New South Wales squad for the State of Origin series opener in Melbourne.
New Blues coach Brad Fittler has made the biggest shake-up to a squad in Origin history — no team has ever made more than 10 changes to its roster.
Just six players who turned out for NSW in game three last year will return to the team — captain Boyd Cordner, James Maloney, David Klemmer, Tyson Frizell, Jake Trbojevic and James Tedesco.
Cleary, 20, is expected to partner Penrith teammate Maloney in the halves.
They will be joined by fellow Panthers Tyrone Peachey and Regan Campbell-Gillard.
South Sydney hooker Damien Cook, Broncos centre James Roberts and Roosters centre Lattrell Mitchell are other in-form players who have been given the nod.
The Blues squad was officially unveiled tonight, with coach Brad Fittler saying it could be the most exciting NSW side ever.
"It is the team that gets you sitting on the edge of your seat, week in week out they've been fantastic for their clubs," he said.
Fittler said he had no qualms with choosing a large number of debutantes in the team.
"There's no doubt we needed some experienced players there [but] the key was to get the right amount of experienced players and making sure they were fit as well so, from the point of view of debutantes, you know what, these days I don't think the kids seem to worry as much as we did in the past."
NSW squad:
James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell, James Roberts, Josh Addo-Carr, James Maloney, Nathan Cleary, David Klemmer, Damien Cook, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Boyd Cordner (c), Tyson Frizell, Jack de Belin. Interchange: Paul Vaughan, Jake Trbojevic, Tyrone Peachey, Angus Crichton. Reserves: Nick Cotric, Tariq Sims, Ryan James.
