BRAD FITTLER, the most capped NSW player in State of Origin history, says the Blues would be taking a huge risk if they don't take the long kicking game offered by Braith Anasta into Origin I.

The Blues team for the game against Queensland, at ANZ Stadium on May 21, will be named tomorrow with Cronulla utility Greg Bird likely to retain the five-eighth role he took over for the final game of last year's series, which NSW won 18-4 at Suncorp Stadium to prevent a Maroons whitewash. Bird was also five-eighth for Australia in Friday night's Centenary Test win over New Zealand.

But the selection of Bird, with Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley set to be named halfback, would leave the Blues without a genuine long-kicking game. Anasta may be the biggest kicker in the game, both in terms of distance with clearing kicks and height with torpedo bombs, and he has been in terrific form for the Roosters this season. Bird could easily be picked at lock, but it is clear the selectors and coach Craig Bellamy don't want to go that way.

Asked if he thought NSW would be taking a huge risk if they went in without Anasta's boot, Roosters coach and former champion five-eighth Fittler, who played 31 games for the Blues, replied: "Yeah, I think it would be a big risk. If you've got a big kicking game, it can destroy the opposition. He [Bellamy] is obviously a smart coach. I've got a lot of respect for him, and I'm sure he's got his reasons why if they're going for Bird, but I'm a fan of someone who has got a big kicking game.

"I think Queensland are going to come down here and play it fairly straight, with a lot of running out of dummy-half, and if you've got a big kicking game you can put them under more pressure by making them play off their own line more often. Anasta has got a big kicking game. He would be a great choice for that sort of job."

The Herald understands that, among positions that are still up for grabs, Melbourne's Anthony Quinn has his nose in front for the vacant wing spot, and Brisbane's Peter Wallace is a narrow leader for the utility bench spot, covering hooker, halfback and five-eighth.

It is believed the selectors are not convinced about Quinn, who is coached by Bellamy at the Storm, but by the same token there are not many other options that would even be considered. Late last week, Parramatta's Brett Finch was said to be the likely choice for the utility bench spot, but he has been overtaken by Wallace. It is not cut and dried, with Finch and St George Illawarra utility Ben Hornby still in the mix if there is a late rethink.

Since Bird is expected to be five-eighth, his Sharks teammate, Paul Gallen, is set to be lock, with Melbourne's Ryan Hoffman a certain second-rower and Gold Coast's Anthony Laffranchi expected to join him there.

Brett White (Melbourne) and Ben Cross (Newcastle) are expected to be the starting props. The bench forwards are tipped to be Willie Mason and Anthony Tupou, both from the Roosters, and Manly's Brent Kite. North Queensland forward Luke O'Donnell, who is a regular NSW and Australian player when match fit, returned from injury against Cronulla on Saturday night but is expected to miss the cut.

The Queensland team will also be named tomorrow, with the biggest question mark over fullback, with Brisbane's Karmichael Hunt and Melbourne's Billy Slater battling it out. It still could go either way, but the word last night was that Slater - who wore the No.1 jumper for Australia on Friday night, will get the job. Hunt would still survive in the 17, but on the bench.

There was a suggestion Hunt could force his way into the Maroons starting side at five-eighth, taking over from injured Broncos star Darren Lockyer, but Gold Coast halfback Scott Prince is set to get that job, with North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston an automatic choice at halfback.

Brisbane forward Ben Hannant was expected to win a place on the Queensland bench, but the injury he suffered playing against Manly yesterday, when he sustained a bad cut to his chin, is set to rule him out. Brisbane utility David Stagg and Cowboys forward Jacob Lillyman are both likely to pick up spots on the bench.

Likely teams

1 Brett Stewart, 2 Anthony Quinn, 3 Mark Gasnier, 4 Matt Cooper, 5 Jarryd Hayne, 6 Greg Bird, 7 Kurt Gidley, 8 Ben Cross, 9 Danny Buderus (c), 10 Brett White, 11 Ryan Hoffman, 12 Anthony Laffranchi, 13 Paul Gallen.
Interchange: 14 Peter Wallace, 15 Anthony Tupou, 16 Willie Mason, 17 Brent Kite.

QUEENSLAND

1 Billy Slater, 2 Israel Folau, 3 Justin Hodges, 4 Greg Inglis, 5 Brent Tate, 6 Scott Prince, 7 Johnathan Thurston, 8 Petero Civoniceva, 9 Cam Smith, 10 Carl Webb, 11 Sam Thaiday, 12 Michael Crocker, 13 Dallas Johnson.
Interchange: 14 Karmichael Hunt, 15 David Stagg, 16 Nate Myles, 17 Jacob Lillyman.