LAURIE Daley is set to make the biggest selection gamble of his coaching career with Matt Moylan set to start at five-eighth in Origin III on Wednesday night.

Moylan has played just 20 minutes of five-eighth in his first grade career, but despite indications otherwise throughout the week, Fox Sports can reveal he will slot into the starting side at the expense of fellow rookie Jack Bird.

Daley is under the pump as his side enters game three having already lost their 10th series in 11 attempts and questions over his future as Blues coach pile up.

For Moylan his call-up to partner James Maloney at the scrumbase is an incredible reversal in fortunes.

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Just 10 days ago the Panthers skipper was dropped by Daley after two unsteady games at fullback in his first Origin series.

The 25-year-old was last week called back into the squad when Adam Reynolds withdrew due to injury, but was expected to fill Bird’s spot on the bench with the Sharks sensation elevated to the starting 13.

Addressing the media at Tuesday’s captain’s run Daley said that Bird would be starting as named, but also intimated Moylan would get a chance in the halves.

It’s understood this line has been a ruse throughout the week, with the Blues planning to spring their third game-day change of the series.

For the series opener James Tamou was a late elevation into the starting side at the expense of regular back-rower Greg Bird, while in game two Tyson Frizell debuted at second-row in place of Bird again.

The move to keep Jack Bird in the same utility role he debuted in offers the Blues greater balance from the bench, with the Cronulla upstart able to cover multiple backline positions and also slot into the back-row.

“Birdy is a kid who is very confident in his own ability and I still don’t know what his best position is,” Daley said on Tuesday.

“It is good to see that he got his opportunity (in game two) and it was good to see he handled it well and I’m sure he will handle it well tomorrow night.

“Birdy will get an opportunity (at five-eighth).

“Having said that Moylan will spend some time there. Both those guys have trained in that position.”

Often compared to Queensland champion Darren Lockyer, Moylan has already been tipped to follow the career path of the NRL’s most capped player in eventually shifting from fullback into the halves.

Penrith coach Anthony Griffin toyed with moving Moylan into the No. 6 jumper for much of the pre-season.

But to date Griffin has resisted the temptation to play him there in first grade despite the departure of Jamie Soward and a long term injury to youngster Te Maire Martin, opting to instead blood NYC prodigy Nathan Cleary.

Moylan is understood to have trained extensively in the halves for the Blues during their preparations in Coffs Harbour, with particular focus on his defence in the frontline.

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