Dylan Edwards Axed for Game 1 as Daley Picks Tedesco

dylan edwards was dropped for State of Origin Game 1, with Laurie Daley choosing James Tedesco at fullback instead. The call removed Edwards from the opening Blues side after he played all three games in last year’s series loss, and it gives Penrith a headline issue only days before they meet the Warriors.

Cleary backs Edwards

Ivan Cleary called the decision close and said Edwards has been in strong touch for Penrith. “It is a contentious selection and obviously a close one,” he said.

Cleary added: “Dyl has been playing awesome. Everyone knows that so I guess it gives him a little bit more fire. That would be good, but if he just keeps playing the way he is I will be happy.”

Edwards has scored nine tries in 11 games for Penrith this season. That is the form line that sits behind the omission, and it leaves the Panthers weighing how much of that output they can keep in their club game while the Origin squad reshapes around him.

Panthers face Sunday turnaround

Penrith are two points behind the Warriors and 47 points behind them on points difference, which adds another layer to a week already loaded with Origin selections. Brian To'o, Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Casey McLean are also in the Blues squad, while Liam Martin is returning at NRL level.

Cleary said the timing gives his Origin players a chance to back up for club duty, with the match in Sydney before the Panthers’ Sunday night fixture at CommBank Stadium. “This week is a little different. The game is in Sydney and we have got a Sunday night game so it is probably the best chance (for the Origins stars) to back up,” he said.

He said the Panthers will not lock in their approach until after Wednesday’s Origin match. “Sometimes you are given little or no chance. As usual we will have a bunch of different plans. The (Origin) game will be played on Wednesday and we will work out what we are going to do after that.”

For Edwards, the selection loss is immediate and public; for Penrith, the next answer comes in how many of their Blues players can back up and whether he turns the snub into a sharper club performance against a Warriors side that already has the table edge.