Two bloopers got Origin build-up underway. The Blues can’t afford to fluff their lines

May 18, 2026 — 5:08pm

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If the first 20 seconds of the build-up to next week’s State of Origin opener were any guide, things can only get better for the Blues.

On an overcast Monday morning at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the NSW Rugby League announced the Blues team via a YouTube livestream watched live by about 5000 people. But as the broadcast kicked off, a brief audio issue left fans unable to hear a word chief executive Dave Trodden was saying.

Then, when it came time for Laurie Daley to end weeks of speculation by officially unveiling his team, the coach produced an unfortunate slip of the tongue when announcing he had selected “Casey McGuire” instead of Casey McLean.

That would have been some story – Casey McGuire, a two-game Queensland representative in the 2005 series, is 46 years old and hasn’t played first grade since 2012.

The Blues cannot afford to fluff their lines when hostilities get under way next Wednesday night, when a similarly sluggish start could spell disaster. Though they have fielded strong sides over the past four years, they have only one Origin shield to show for it – the 2024 series win under Michael Maguire.

The narrative can be spun many ways when it comes to State of Origin. North of the border, Queensland’s three series wins from the past four campaigns – and 15 from the past 20 – points to a period of unequivocal dominance.

The Blues could reply by pointing out they’ve won half of the........

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