Cronulla captain Dale Finucane can't believe there's even discussion and says Nicho Hynes' elevation to NSW starting halfback should be a selection no-brainer for Blues coach Brad Fittler.
As debate rages over who replaces the injured Nathan Cleary for State of Origin II in Brisbane this month, Finucane reckons his Sharks teammate is readymade to step into the Suncorp Stadium cauldron and do the job for NSW.
What's more, he's adamant the reigning Dally M Medallist and halfback of the year has the runs on the board to slot straight in ahead of Broncos playmaker Adam Reynolds, the other frontline contender.
"Dating back to the Australian stuff (at last year's World Cup) where he's the Dally M player of the year and missed out on a top-24 spot in the Australian squad was surprising to me firstly," Finucane said on Tuesday.
"Then to miss out on the NSW side's starting role initially was a surprise as well.
"But now that Cleary's out - and from my point of view being a teammate of his and personally knowing him quite well - from his leadership perspective, he would certainly fit the mould as well.
"Obviously they stuck with their halves pairing for the first game. There was Nathan and Jerome (Luai) but it would be great to see Nicho get that opportunity in the starting halves position."
Finucane, who won a premiership with Hynes in 2020 before the pair left Melbourne for Cronulla two seasons later, hopes his teammate's X-factor and experience of being in the wider Blues squad for the past two years carried weight at the selection table.
"Developing those relationships and connections certainly helps," he said.
"He's been in the camp for a couple of years now so he's got relationships with the people but I just think the main thing is about Nicho is he's an instinctive rugby league player.
"It's something that you can't coach and that's something that NSW would really benefit from having him in the side, if he's to be there."
Funicane believes it was unfair that Hynes was thrust into a somewhat unfamiliar centre position in the dying stages of NSW's Origin I loss in Adelaide and should be made the scapegoat for the series-opening defeat to Queensland.
While he doesn't expect Fittler to publicly declare Hynes as the man to wear the Blues' No.7 jumper on June 21, he has no doubts a quiet word in the 26-year-old's ear to that effect would be a huge morale booster for the playmaker.
"Coming off the past, I don't know that that would be the case publicly that he would come out and say they were going to pick Nicho because there's obviously a couple of games to go prior to that game playing out," the former NSW back-rower said.
"Whether it puts pressure on or it's a conversation they have quietly between them, it would certainly help his confidence for sure."
