SYDNEY - Bulldogs centre Josh Morris will make his State of Origin debut on Wednesday night after being called in to replace injured NSW utility Craig Wing.
Wing succumbed to the hamstring injury which had dogged his preparation all week, the South Sydney playmaker not even making it onto the
training paddock for Monday's penultimate training session at Sydney Olympic Park.
Wing had failed to go at 100 per cent all of last week after straining his hamstring in the Rabbitohs' loss to Melbourne in Perth 10 days ago.
His unavailability opened up the door for Morris to get the call-up, the Kiama junior to become the 10th Blues debutant of the series, and he took part in his first training run with his new teammates on Monday.
Morris will start the game off the bench, meaning Blues fullback and captain Kurt Gidley will in effect take on the role as the utility player for NSW given his ability to play in the halves and at hooker.
With Gidley becoming the floater, Jarryd Hayne is likely to spend some time at fullback with Morris to come on either on the wing or in the centres.
- AAP
