Updated May 26, 2026 — 4:35pm,first published May 26, 2026 — 8:40amBlues coach Laurie Daley would never say as much, but in turning to Ethan Strange in his time of need, he’s just selected the player who most resembles himself.The similarities during their respective playing careers are obvious; they made the Raiders No.6 jersey their own, can run their team but prefer to run through the opposing one, and compete on every play like their lives depend on it. However, the NSW coach is too humble and shrewd to saddle a debutant trying to make his name in the interstate arena when asked about the similitude.“Oh, no,” Daley said. “All I see is a kid that loves his footy and you’ve just got to compete, and that’s what he does well.“And he’ll compete [Wednesday] night, and those types of players, I think, are really suited to Origin. Because there’s not much difference between the teams, but it’s the bloke that will compete for longer, works harder, and continually challenges you, they’re the ones that I find that have success at this level.”Strange’s place in the team, confirmed on the eve of the series opener, comes at the expense of Mitchell Moses. The Parramatta playmaker’s hamstring pulled up tight after training extras on Monday afternoon and the NSW brains trust decided they couldn’t risk him.Ethan Strange and his NSW teammates on Tuesday.AAPThe development brings Strange from the interchange bench into the starting side, where he will wear the No.6 Blues jersey that Daley made his own. While flattered by the comparisons with his coach, Strange wants to cut his own path.“Obviously he was a great player and we know our history at the Raiders, so I’ve seen a lot of highlights of Laurie,” Strange said.“He was an outstanding player, so for people to say stuff like that, it’s pretty cool.”Strange’s unexpected ascension into the starting halves pairing comes at a critical time. Four-time premiership winner Cleary has always been one of the first Blues chosen, but finding him a long-term halves partner at Origin level has proven problematic.Moses has made seven NSW caps, in which he has proven he belongs at that level, but only one of them has been alongside Cleary. On a wet and slippery Accor Stadium, where field position will likely dictate the outcome, Moses’ booming boot will be missed.“Big loss,” Daley conceded. “But like Origin, you expect nothing different. There’s always unexpected things that happen … I’m not worried about Ethan, he’ll play well.”Strange’s elevation will result in him becoming Cleary’s sixth halves partner at this level. How they combine at short notice is one of the storylines of Wednesday night. However, Daley bristled at suggestions that Cleary - who has a winning percentage of 47 per cent from his 17 appearances in the sky blue - would need to shoulder even more responsibility, or that he had something to prove at Origin level.“Look, I think that that’s the storyline around Origin and Nath, but I don’t see it like that,” Daley said.“For us to have success, it just has to be a team performance. If we’re relying on Nathan Cleary to go out and get man of the match, then we’re kidding ourselves.Mitchell Moses will miss Wednesday’s Origin series opener due to a hamstring injury.Getty Images“We’ve gotta rely on 17 guys to be able to work hard for each other. We all share the wins, we share the losses, we share every moment.“I don’t see it like Nath has to own Origin. He’s won man of the matches, he’s been a part of winning Origin series before. It’s a big game for everyone.”Strange and Cleary aren’t totally unfamiliar to each other. They struck up a bond during last year’s Kangaroos tour of England. Strange did not play, but leaned on the playmakers for advice.“Ethan was a sponge over there, you could just see he was sort of gravitating particularly towards Nathan, Mitch, Cam Munster ... obviously over there,” said NSW and Australian captain Isaah Yeo.“Look, they’ll be fine. We’ve obviously prepared for different things and different scenarios, so Ethan and Nathan had little moments together on the field … Ultimately, we want Ethan to be Ethan. His best attribute is when he’s running, taking the line on, and being hard to handle. I don’t think much changes for him.”Before he had made his NRL debut, Strange was chosen for the 2023 under-19s Origin encounter. Playing in the centres - a position Daley also played at interstate level - Strange scored a hat-trick and was named man of the match in a memorable Blues win.“Games like that are a blur, I feel like you play your best footy when you’re not really thinking and you’re just out there doing it and having fun,” Strange said.Strange hasn’t had time to overthink his rise to a starting senior position. If he nails it, he could give Queensland - and the NSW selectors - something to think about.From our partners