League: Kimmorley pays price for poor form

SYDNEY - Brett Kimmorley has been dropped from the NSW team to play Queensland in the second State of Origin match in Sydney on June 15.

The Cronulla halfback has paid the price for a poor performance in the Blues' golden-point loss to Queensland in game one and a couple of unhappy club games since for the Sharks.

Bulldogs pivot Braith Anasta was drafted in at five-eighth, with Trent Barrett moving to halfback for NSW's must-win clash at Sydney's Telstra Stadium.

In the only other change, veteran backrower Steve Menzies replaces Manly team-mate Anthony Watmough on the interchange bench.

Blues coach Ricky Stuart said Kimmorley was down in confidence and the new halves combination of Anasta and Barrett provided a "better mix", especially in respect to the kicking game.

"It was a very difficult decision," Stuart said. "Over the past few weeks Brett hasn't been in the form that he would be happy with either.

"He's not playing at the level of football he would expect to be at.

"If you look at Trent Barrett and Braith Anasta, I think it's a good mix where Trent's done a good job for NSW before in the previous Origin games. We're very comfortable in that decision."

Stuart said the merits of including Andrew Johns in the 17-man squad was discussed at length, but it was felt the Newcastle skipper needed more game time to reach his peak.

Johns played solidly in his comeback match from a broken jaw in Sunday's 34-16 loss to Brisbane, after seven weeks on the sideline, but it would be a huge gamble to name the former NSW and test captain for Origin II.

"I thought he played very well in a strong game," Stuart said.

"He couldn't have got a better test and I thought he came out of it well.

"His fitness is good, but it's a matter of getting his full match fitness back by playing football."

Manly forward Menzies, 31, makes his return to Origin football after a three-year absence.

Stuart said it enabled him to take advantage of Craig Wing's speed around the ruck area and use Menzies to cover for any injuries to the outside backs.

Brisbane forward Dane Carlaw has fought his way back into the Queensland team.

His selection caps a remarkable turnaround for the former test second- rower, who was relegated to Queensland Cup duties by Broncos coach Wayne Bennett this season.

Carlaw, who had struggled with confidence after off-season shoulder surgery, said he was shocked at his recall.

"I didn't expect this, especially after the last five weeks," Carlaw said. "For five weeks I didn't think I had a job."

Broncos team-mate Brad Thorn moves up from the second-row to play at prop in place of the injured Steve Price, despite lingering concerns over his ability to recover from a painful sternum injury.

* Teams for the second State of Origin match, in Sydney on June 15:


NSW

Anthony Minichiello, Luke Rooney, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Matt King, Braith Anasta, Trent Barrett, Luke Bailey, Danny Buderus (c), Jason Ryles, Nathan Hindmarsh, Craig Fitzgibbon, Ben Kennedy

Queensland

Billy Slater, Ty Williams, Shaun Berrigan, Paul Bowman, Matt Singh, Darren Lockyer (c), J. Thurston, Petero Civoniceva, Cameron Smith, Brad Thorn, Mick Crocker, Carl Webb, Chris Flannery

Interchange:

NSW: Craig Wing, Andrew Ryan, Steve Menzies, Steve Simpson.
Queensland: Ben Ross, Dane Carlaw, Casey McGuire, Matt Bowen.

- AAP