NSW Coach Laurie Daley Addresses Injury Concerns Surrounding Dominant Prop Payne Haas

Laurie Daley remains optimistic that he will stick with an unchanged lineup for the State of Origin decider, dismissing concerns regarding the fitness of two key NSW Blues players.

With kick-off just a day away, Daley announced that worries surrounding Brian To’o and Payne Haas won’t hinder their participation on Wednesday.

The coach confirmed that To’o successfully completed a full training session with the team on Monday, marking a significant improvement after he had previously been limited in training activities.

In Haas’s case, Daley acknowledged that he has not yet managed a complete session.

“He probably needs a bit of a break to be honest,” the coach remarked.

“He wanted to do more on Monday, but it’s crucial to have him ready for Wednesday rather than insisting on full participation last night.”

However, Daley asserted that Haas’s limited training won’t prevent him from being in action tomorrow night.

“There are players who wouldn’t be given that rest time,” he noted.

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“But his experience gives us confidence. The rest may actually help him. He logs substantial minutes as a prop and plays consistently, always giving his all. Considering what he’s gone through in this series… it’s incredible what he achieves.

“He’ll be prepared for the match. As long as nothing changes before then—which I don’t anticipate—our squad will be 1-17.”

Captain Isaah Yeo echoed Daley’s faith in both players.

“They’ve earned the confidence from their performances in significant matches,” Yeo remarked.

“Payne and Bizza (To’o) have been the subject of scrutiny, but that’s been typical for their performance throughout the series.

“Payne was recognised as our man of the match in game one, while Bizza took that honour in game two, so based on these achievements, it’s clear they’ve justified their places.”