NSW will roll the dice on a new halves pairing and will be without their best forward Payne Haas as the Blues unveiled a new-look team in a bid to avoid a State of Origin whitewash.
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South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker ousted Jarome Luai from Brad Fittler's side for Origin III in one of seven changes to the side that lost 32-6 to Queensland in game two last month.
Only two of those changes have been forced.
Clint Gutherson, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Jake Trbojevic and Jacob Saifiti have all been recalled and Bradman Best and Keaon Koloamatangi are set to earn their NSW debuts in the 2023 Origin finale on July 12.
An ankle injury to Dally M Medal hopeful Haas looms as a big blow to a Blues side that has struggled to make an impact against the Maroons' sturdy middle forward rotation.
Centre Tom Trbojevic is also missing because of a pectoral injury he suffered in Origin II.
Five-eighth Luai and prop Junior Paulo are the most established of Fittler's players to lose their spots, having previously not missed a game through form since making their debuts in 2021 and 2020 respectively
Debutant prop Stefano Utoikamanu and starting second-rowers Hudson Young and Tyson Frizell have also been cut for Game III at Sydney's Accor Stadium.
Jake Trbojevic, a 15-time Blue, played his first game back from a long-term calf injury on Sunday and is the latest NSW player to come into camp on the back of limited game-time.
Campbell-Gillard and Saifiti last played in the 2022 series, with the former playing well for Parramatta before a groin injury ruled him out of the series opener.
In his first Origin game since 2020, in-form Eels captain Gutherson will play a utility role from the bench as Fittler looks to avoid the interchange dilemmas that haunted the Blues in Origins I and II.
The Blues named Nicho Hynes as a utility for Origin I but only played him for 12 minutes late in the match.
Fittler had to deploy veteran hooker Damien Cook as a centre in the second game after injury forced Tom Trbojevic from the field.
Best's inclusion comes as the biggest surprise.
Fresh from scoring a hat-trick in the 66-0 shellacking of Canterbury, the Newcastle centre beat Bulldogs co-captain and two-time Origin representative Matt Burton in the race to replace Trbojevic.
South Sydney centre Campbell Graham had been considered the front-runner to slot into the centres but was ruled out with the same sternum injury that forced him to withdraw as 18th man for game one.
The NRL's leader in try assists, South Sydney five-eighth Walker will partner Eels halfback Mitch Moses for the third different halves combination used by the Blues this year.
Walker most recently featured in all three matches of 2020's post-season series.
Joining him in the side for a maiden Blues appearance is Souths teammate Koloamatangi.
An ankle injury scuppered the back-rower's chances of earning a debut in the series opener but he has long been considered a future Origin player, most recently earning selection as 19th man for Origin II.
James Tedesco has retained his spot as fullback and captain despite concerns over his form and stiff challenges from Dylan Edwards and Scott Drinkwater in recent weeks.
Drinkwater has been named 18th man, with Panthers prop Spencer Leniu joining him on the extended bench.
NSW STATE OF ORIGIN TEAM FOR GAME III
1. James Tedesco (capt) 2. Brian To'o 3. Stephen Crichton 4. Bradman Best 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cody Walker 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Jake Trbojevic 9. Damien Cook 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Liam Martin 12. Keaon Koloamatangi 13. Cameron Murray 14. Isaah Yeo 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Reece Robson 17. Clint Gutherson 18. Scott Drinkwater 19. Spencer Leniu.
Australian Associated Press
