FORMER NSW hooker Michael Ennis has warned Nathan Peats to place more emphasis on attack to start the 2018 NRL season or risk having his Blues jersey taken from him.

Peats was lauded for his courage in an outstanding Origin debut last year, topping the tackle count and getting through 80 minutes in NSW’s series opening win despite copping a corked quad early in the second half which he later rated a “nine out of 10 for pain”.

However, after Queensland wrestled back ascendancy and retained the shield, Peats’ excellent start to his Origin career was overshadowed by Cameron Smith’s ability to control a game and hurt his opponents with the ball.

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Ultimately it was Smith’s genius that led the Maroons to victory and cost Laurie Daley his job and, according to Ennis, Peats is in danger of being the next NSW casualty if Fittler stays true to the coaching philosophy that got him the job in the first place.

“I think Brad Fittler, knowing some of the guys who have played under Freddy in City-Country games, attack is certainly something that Brad focuses on a lot and really encourages guys to focus on their natural game and to attack as well,” Ennis told foxsports.com.au.

“I think, whether it’s Nathan or whoever Freddy has in mind, will certainly be a point of attack and I think that’s a positive for NSW.

“For NSW to improve (Peats) needs to become more of a point of attack as well.

“We all know he’s got great line speed and great energy and defensively he’s very sound.

“He’s got a good frame on him physically. But certainly needs to get out and back his ability and play some good football out of dummy half.”

Ennis likes the old school selection policy that rewards incumbents and said the NSW No.9 jersey “should be Peatsy’s to lose”.

Nathan Peats tasted the devastation of an Origin series loss last year.

However, he added the caveat that Fittler would be going into his first series with very few positions locked in prior to the NRL season starting, meaning that Peats will have to stand up and earn his jersey all over again.

Naturally, that opens the door to competitors like Manly’s Apisai Koroisau, St George Illawarra’s Cameron McInnes and other bolters like the Rabbitohs’ Damien Cook and Canterbury’s Michael Lichaa.

“I don’t think Freddy will be too set in stone at the moment, I think he’ll be looking for someone to stand up and grab his opportunity,” Ennis said.

“It’s his team now and he’ll choose the guys who he feels can execute the way he wants to play and I think that certainly brings guys like McInnes and Koroisau certainly into it.”

Koroisau had a career-best season in 2017 and followed it up with an excellent World Cup campaign for Fiji.

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Api Koroisau was a standout at the Rugby League World Cup.

McInnes started superbly for the Dragons in 2017 but, like his club side, faded as the year went on.

Ennis said the Dragons’ big off-season of recruitment would give the 24-year-old the best chance of putting his name forward once again.

“His 2017 form probably replicated the team but certainly there’s some foundations in his game that show he could be a representative player,” Ennis said.

“But again we saw some glimpses of it but I thought he could attack more too out of dummy half and that would take pressure off Hunt and Widdop and allow them to pick their moments rather than force their moments.

“So there’s certainly some dialogue for Freddy to look at because they’re all very, very different and bring different things to the table.

“It’s not like it’s a like for like and he’ll just go, ‘oh, I’ll try this bloke and if not the next guy will be similar’.

“These guys are all very, very different and bring different things to the table, so I think when Freddy chooses his No.9 you’ll get a good indication of how he wants to play.”