Sea Eagles forward Jake Trbojevic will captain a new-look Blues team in the June 5 series opener at Accor Stadium after NSW coach Michael Maguire named six debutants in his first Origin team, including Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.

Edwards will make his Origin debut in place of long serving captain James Tedesco, who was among 11 players either overlooked or unavailable for selection from the Blues team that won the third game of last year’s series.

Other Origin rookies named in the NSW squad are:

Roosters centre Joseph Suaali’i
Dragons winger Zac Lomax
Sharks lock Cameron McInnes
Sea Eagles second-rower Haumole Olakau’atu
Roosters prop Spencer Leniu
With Tedesco axed and Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary and South Sydney lock Cameron Murray sidelined by injury, Maguire has chosen Trbojevic as skipper and the 30-year-old will pit wits with Manly team-mate Daly Cherry-Evans – the Maroons captain.

Trbojevic is the first NSW skipper who does not regularly lead his club side in recent memory but with Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo shifting to the bench and Cameron McInnes to start at lock, he was a logical choice.

The only other club captains in the NSW team are Canterbury’s Stephen Crichton and McInnes – neither of whom are established members of the Blues squad.

After making his NSW debut in 2017, Trbojevic has worn the Blues jersey 16 times and has played more Origins than any other member of the 20-man squad named by Maguire on Sunday night.