Young Canberra Raiders half Ethan Strange was called up to the run-on side little more than 48 hours before the kick-off at Accor Stadium when incumbent Mitch Moses was ruled out with a minor hamstring strain.
Strange produced one of the most impressive debut Origin performances in recent memory, particularly for a man just 21 years of age, with 135 run metres, 22 tackles, two line break assists and a try of his own to bring the score from 20-0 back to 20-10 in the second half.
He was a leading contender for Player of the Match before fellow half Nathan Cleary spearheaded the comeback with a 71st minute try and the fifth tackle bomb that fullback James Tedesco got under to score the match-levelling try.
Incumbent Mitch Moses is expected to be fit for Game 2 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, though Daley wouldn't go as far as to say Strange is a certainty to be dropped should Moses be cleared to play, confirming that Moses will be "a part of the squad".
“Mitch is a big part of our team. He’s a big part of our team,” Daley said.
“It’s not a bad hammy, either. We expect him to play."
Strange told the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday night that he is expecting a demotion to the bench, describing Moses as "a legend" and "a good player" who has "done it all at this level".
Strange's fellow debutant from Wednesday evening, Tolu Koula, also has his position under threat pending the recovery of South Sydney back Latrell Mitchell.
Mitchell is currently rehabilitating from a back injury sustained in Round 9, though his recovery is reportedly progressing slower than was hoped and is putting him in doubt for Game 2 on June 17.
Koula recorded 128 run metres and a line break from his 57 minutes on the pitch.