Mitchell Moses Says He Is Ready for Origin Game II
mitchell moses said he is ready to go for Wednesday night’s Origin Game II, easing NSW’s biggest selection worry before the meeting with Queensland at the MCG. He said on Monday morning that the hamstring injury would not affect him, and NSW now have a clearer path into a match they have targeted as a faster start.
Moses and Cleary
Moses said, "I’m ready to go" and added, "I’m confident of myself that I’ll be able to go out there and do a job… What gives me confidence? I’m not too sure. I’m just confident that I’ve put the work in and I feel like I’m in a good position at the moment to be able to perform on Wednesday night."
He also addressed the injury itself: "It’s the other leg so it will be fine. It’s got nothing to do with that leg, obviously it’s my plant leg but it’s fine. Honestly the hamstring was a scratch on my hammy so it’s a bit disappointing but it is what it is," Moses said.
That matters because he returned to the NSW team after missing the 2026 Origin series opener in May. He had been ruled out after sustaining the hamstring injury in Blues camp 48 hours before kick-off, and he had not run onto an NRL field before this return.
NSW Camp in Melbourne
His week has already followed a controlled build-up. Moses missed the initial contact session after joining NSW camp last Thursday, took part in a scrimmage session on Saturday and is expected to feature in Monday’s scheduled contact session in Melbourne.
He said the combination work with Nathan Cleary has been manageable because they have played together in Origin and on the Kangaroos tour at the end of 2026. "We’re not too worried about the combinations, I feel like we’re pretty OK there. It’s obviously not ideal missing the first session of camp this week," he said.
Cleary’s role alongside Moses is central to NSW’s plan, especially with Ethan Strange retaining his bench spot for Game II. Moses said, "I feel like we’ve put in a lot of work in the first camp and I’ve played with Nathan and everyone else before so I felt pretty comfortable going into this game, but we have another session today to work on our combinations."
NSW First-Start Pressure
NSW have made a faster start their priority after conceding 68 first-half points across the past four State of Origin games. They trailed 20-6 at half-time in Game I, so the opening spells in Melbourne will sit at the centre of their plan.
Moses put that directly on the table. "We’re going to have to start physical. We haven’t really started well the last few Origins so that will be the main focus for us," he said. He added: "We haven’t started well the last few Origins and there’s no hiding that. So if we can play the long game and connect up as a spine as much as possible, I think we’ll put ourselves in a good position to be able to start well and obviously win the game."
For NSW, the immediate issue has moved from a hamstring scare to how quickly Moses and Cleary can settle into Wednesday night’s rhythm at the MCG.
