Dragons second-rower Ben Creagh has been sacked as part of a radical shake-up of the NSW team for the third State of Origin clash in Sydney next week.Creagh was one of several players to be cut from the line-up that lost the game and the series to Queensland in Brisbane.Veteran forward Nathan Hindmarsh, Penrith's Trent Waterhouse, Canberra's Joel Monaghan and Melbourne's Brett White were also axed.
Full coverage of the Dragons St George Illawarra prop Michael Weyman - facing a four-week stint on the sidelines for a spear tackle on Wests Tigers fullback Wade McKinnon on Friday night - was overlooked, as was North Queensland's Luke O'Donnell.It paves the way for talented young Cronulla prop Kade Snowden, Manly captain Jason King and Parramatta's Tim Mannah to make their Origin debuts.Winger Brett Morris and centre Beau Scott were both retained.The NSW team will gather in Sydney today, before going into camp in Wollongong on Thursday.It sets up a spicy personal duel between Scott and Queensland star Greg Inglis, who were locked in an intense battle in game two.Penrith's Michael Jennings, who scored a hat-trick in Friday's thumping win over the Sea Eagles, has replaced injured Dragons centre Matt Cooper.Cooper is set to be sidelined for another month with a hamstring problem.Jennings' Penrith team-mate Michael Gordon is the Blues bolter, named on the right wing.Cronulla playmaker Trent Barrett has been named NSW captain in his final Origin appearance after Kurt Gidley was again selected on the interchange bench.The Blues are desperate to salvage some pride after being smashed 34-6 at Suncorp Stadium.The victory allowed Queensland to record a fifth straight Origin series win.St George Illawarra's Darius Boyd and Neville Costigan will be retained in the Maroons team when it is named today.
