Michael Chammas is a sports reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald
Nathan Peats has long been Mr Expendable. He left South Sydney because he couldn't find an opening with Issac Luke at the club, and was the only high profile player squeezed out of Parramatta because of the club's salary cap problems.
"I hope she's proud of me". That's the text message Boyd Cordner sent to the woman he describes as his "Sydney mum" after finding out he was captain of the NSW Blues earlier this week.
NSW could unleash Tyson Frizell on Queensland debutant Anthony Milford as they look set to shake-up their forward pack ahead of the opening game of the series.
All Josh Dugan wanted was a bit of respect. The manner in which St George Illawarra handled its contract negotiations left a sour taste in the mouth of the NSW Origin representative.
NSW debutant Nathan Peats and skipper Boyd Cordner were among an emotional bunch of Blues players to shed tears at a heartfelt team gathering in Kingscliff on Tuesday night.
NSW five-eighth James Maloney has taken aim at the NRL, venting his frustrations over a perception the governing body is trying to portray the players as money hungry.
James Tedesco can see the irony in reuniting with former Tigers coach Jason Taylor at the Roosters next season, but he insists there's no bad blood between the pair.
Jack Bird doesn't know when his body will give up on him, but he knows it's a possibility. His childhood battle with rheumatoid arthritis has been well documented, which is why he knows he needs to make the most out of his career before it is taken away from him.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg is set to come under fire with the ARL Commission launching an internal enquiry into last week's botched funding negotiations with the clubs.
The decision to overlook Robbie Farah in favour of Nathan Peats is a clear indication of the NSW coach's desire to get his halves early ball.
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