Michael Maguire will begin his reign as New South Wales coach this year after taking over from Brad Fittler, with the Blues desperate to avoid a Queensland three-peat.
The premiership-winning mentor has promised to start afresh after NSW have run into problems with how to solve the puzzle that Billy Slater’s youthful Maroons outfit pose.
But with the slate wiped clean, which NRL stars will emerge to throw their names into contention for the series-opener on June 5 at Accor Stadium?
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The Sporting News provides the latest selection bolters for the NSW Blues in this year’s State of Origin series.
State of Origin 2024: Bolters who may play for the New South Wales Blues
Wayde Egan
Usually, it’s out of sight and out of mind across the ditch when it comes to possible Origin candidates.
Yet the New Zealand Warriors are a different beast under Andrew Webster after they reached a preliminary final last season.
Wayde Egan has been a major reason for their rise with the crafty dummy-half garnering increasing attention for his smart work around the ruck.
Egan has a penchant for manipulating markers and creating room firstly for his forward pack to exploit before the likes of Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck can then weave their magic.
Damien Cook’s time as his state’s first choice hooker has come to an end and Egan is just one of a number of contenders for the No.9 jersey.
Fellow bolter Blayke Brailey is also in the mix along with Api Koroisau and Reece Robson, who both featured for the Blues in 2023.
Mitch Barnett
Fittler identified a need for a mean streak in his side which had been sadly lacking last year.
The former coach subsequently plucked Tevita Pangai Junior out of the wilderness to play in the opener, although the plan was discarded after one 27-minute cameo.
Mitch Barnett possesses a similar hard-nosed approach to the game but is in far better form than Pangai Jr was when he was called up.
Former QLD star Corey Parker professed his admiration for Barnett during the Warriors’ draw with the Sea Eagles in Round 6, when he ran for 164 metres and made 50 tackles while playing up front.
"We talk about players in the conversation for Origin, well he's in mine," Parker said on Fox League. "He's been outstanding."
The 30-year-old also offers the added bonus of versatility having played the majority of his career in the backrow before transitioning into a prop.
Cameron McInnes
Cameron McInnes has often been spoken about as embodying the grit and determination which is needed in Origin and may be finally set for a call-up under Maguire.
The veteran of close to 200 first grade matches made headlines last year when he broke the NRL record for tackles in a single game, when he tallied 81 against Penrith.
In Dale Finucane’s injury-enforced absence this season, McInnes has made the No.13 jersey his own at the Sharks, constantly displaying his tireless work-rate through the middle of the park.
Across his first five appearances, McInnes has averaged 122 run metres and 40 tackles per game, while featuring for over 60 minutes on just two occasions.
As an added bonus to his renowned toughness, McInnes has played as a hooker at the Dragons, moved to the lock position and also added plenty off the pine as an interchange forward.
"One thing I find at this level, they’re not far between the talent, but it’s the character of the player that I’m really keen to learn and get a good understanding because building the character of the team is something that feels really important on where we are right now and in moving forward," Maguire explained.
"You’ve got to have experience and one thing that as coach you know is that people can play to certain levels.
"Some are a couple of first grade games, some might be a seasoned player, some can step up into representative football."
