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FWC on Sport Nation guideUnder-fire NSW star keen to repay coach's Origin faith
George Clarke, AAP •  June 30th, 2026 1:22 pm
Never one to shirk a challenge, Mitchell Moses is looking forward to silencing critics in Brisbane | Photo: Steven Markham/AAP
After being given a stay of execution by Laurie Daley, Mitchell Moses is determined to vindicate the faith shown in him by the besieged NSW State of Origin coach.
Daley was under intense pressure to make changes to his spine for game three of the series after the Maroons overcame a halftime deficit to beat NSW 44-24 in Melbourne and force a decider.
The Blues coach came in for heavy criticism for sticking by Moses at five-eighth, who barely trained in the lead-up to Origin II as he recovered from the hamstring injury that rubbed him out of the series opener.
Mitchell Moses touched the ball 31 times as the Blues were overrun at the MCG | Photo: James Ross/AAP
"It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, it's about what we believe in here in this group," Moses said.
"We can build that belief during the week at training and work on the combinations that we've got going and where we can get better.
"If we can put in some good training performances and get some combinations working we'll give ourselves a lot of belief going up there to do a job."
Moses was part of the NSW side that won a decider in Brisbane in 2024 under Michael Maguire, one of just three Blues teams to have tasted victory at Lang Park since Origin began.
Mitchell Moses helped NSW win the series on enemy soil two years ago | Photo: Darren England/AAP
But despite his past heroics - Moses was man of the match in Origin II 2024 and scored the match-winning try in the decider - the Parramatta playmaker knows he's under pressure to make his mark.
"You should never feel comfortable wearing the jersey, it's never your jersey, you can try to make it that for a short amount of time," Moses said.
"You've got to play every game like it to last and that'll be no different, I guess come Wednesday week.
"It's great to get the call to go again, it's a great feeling, but it means nothing at the moment until you go out there and do a job."
Tune into Sport Nation for live commentary of State of Origin III: The Decider on July 8 - available on all NZ frequencies and the app.
