NSW recall Hayne and Pearce, Peats at hooker
NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley has named his side for the 2017 State of Origin opener, and named the man to take over the leadership of the side.
Beating out a number of inspirational teammates, Boyd Cordner has been named captain of the Blues following the representative retirement of Paul Gallen.
Jarryd Hayne will return in the centres for the Blues, despite some indifferent form at NRL level, while Nathan Peats earns his Origin debut after a cruel injury to Peter Wallace.
Mitchell Pearce has been recalled to the team after disciplinary issues kept him out last season.
Full NSW team:
1. James Tedesco
2. Blake Ferguson
3. Josh Dugan
4. Jarryd Hayne
5. Brett Morris
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Aaron Woods
9. Nathan Peats
10. Andrew Fifita
11. Boyd Cordner (c)
12. Tyson Frizell
13. Josh Jackson
14. Jack Bird
15. Wade Graham
16. David Klemmer
17. Jake Trbojevic
18. Jordan McLean
19. Matt Moylan
20. Jack de Belin
Peats earns his spot in the team after Peter Wallace was denied a dream recall to the NSW State of Origin team after scans revealed a groin injury that will rule him out for six weeks.
Wallace was tipped to be the major change to coach Laurie Daley's team at its unveiling on Monday night, replacing vice-captain Robbie Farah.
Meanwhile Hayne has been named for the first time since appearing in the Blues last Origin series victory in 2014.
A fairly surprising omission from the 20-man squad is Dragons powerhouse Paul Vaughan, who's been arguably the form Blues forward of 2017.
In the halves, the naming of Pearce and Maloney for Game I marks the first time since 2001 - when Brett Kimmorley and Brad Fittler were united - that Blues selectors have returned a previous Origin halves pairing for the opening match of a series.
It also marks just the second time since 2011 that the Blues won't unveil a debutant in the halves for a series opener.
The pair's combined 21 games - albeit just for six wins - is also the most of any Blues halves combination since Johns' last game in 2005.
On that occasion he and Braith Anasta combined with 26 games of Origin history for that year's victorious decider.
The Blues have won just one series in the 11 years that have followed as they made their way through an incredible 19 halves combinations in that time.
Earlier on Monday, Queensland coach Kevin Walters named Anthony Milford at five-eighth in his team for Origin I at Suncorp Stadium with Johnathan Thurston under an injury cloud.
Walters explained he named Milford in the starting team because he doesn't expect JT to be fit come May 31st, however many aren't buying the excuse.
The theory going around is that Milford was only named at No.6 because his Broncos coach Wayne Bennett previously refused to release Milford for Queensland camp if he wasn't named in the starting 17.
A tug of war over Milford loomed when Bennett mentioned his stance before the Broncos playmaker shone in their 36-0 NRL win over Wests Tigers on Friday night.
Bennett dug his heels in about Milford when asked about the five-eighth's Origin availability after the Broncos rout.
QLD Maroons squad in full: Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, Will Chambers, Justin O'Neill, Dane Gagai, Anthony Milford, Cooper Cronk, Dylan Napa, Cameron Smith (c), Nate Myles, Josh Papalii, Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire, Michael Morgan, Sam Thaiday, Aidan Guerra, Jacob Lillyman, 18th man: Johnathan Thurston
The NSWRL also announced six inaugural inductees to their hall of fame at their announcement event in Sydney, including Bradley Clyde, Ron Coote, Brad Fittler, Bob McCarthy, Norm Provan and Daley.
The six join automatic inductees from the pre-War era, as well as the seven Immortals who represented NSW.