NATURALLY all the talk turns to the fierce state rivalry between New South Wales and Queensland at this time of the year but the State of Origin arena is not the only place where plenty goes on the line.

Back in clubland, NRL sides are robbed of their best players, giving the chance for other players to have their moment in the sun.

There’s also coaches and whole teams that run into make or break scenarios in this strange part of the season.

So who’s got the most to lose? We look at the NRL’s 10 most at stake during Origin.

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Moses Mbye

The ladder-leading Bulldogs have had their heart ripped out by Laurie Daley’s stunning decision to add Trent Hodkinson and Tony Williams to a NSW side that already included Josh Morris and Josh Reynolds. The biggest benefactor? Moses Mbye. The 20-year-old created ripples of excitement in the pre-season with an electric match winning display against the Storm. With Hodkinson, Reynolds, skipper Michael Ennis and international Sam Perrett filling his most likely positions, Mbye has barely been sighted since. This Friday night he gets his opportunity to pull the strings for Des Hasler’s side in a blockbuster against the premiers. Chances don’t get much bigger.

Roosters halves

A fortnight ago Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney were sitting pretty as the Blues incumbent halves pairing, with Laurie Daley determined to keep the faith. Pearce had his misguided night on the tiles with Boyd Cordner and the rest is history. It’s often said that what separates the champions from the rest is how they hit back from adversity. So Pearce and Maloney now have their chance to fight for the jerseys they lost and show Daley they deserve another shot by lifting the Roosters back to the form that took them to last season’s title.

Nathan Merritt

Dropped to NSW Cup a month ago and out of contract at the end of the year, things don’t get much more desperate for a player who made his lone Origin appearance just last season. South Sydney’s all-time leading try-scorer replaces Greg Inglis at fullback for Monday night’s clash with the Sharks. Play out of his skin and Merritt might just prove to Michael Maguire he still deserves a spot in first grade for this season and beyond. Fail and he might see his NRL career slipping away.

Rabbitohs halves

Unlike the Roosters halves who have had their chance at Origin level and watched it slip away, Adam Reynolds and John Sutton are still waiting for their first crack. Sutton in particular can count himself unlucky not to at least claim a bench spot for the Blues but there still could be opportunities for both to play in this series if they can respond in the right fashion.

Putting Origin aside, these two will need to have a big six weeks to give the Bunnies the best chance of a top four spot at the end of the season. With Inglis in and out and backing up, the attacking responsibilities will fall just about exclusively to the halves.

Robert Lui

Picked up by the Cowboys in 2012 to ease the pressure on Johnathan Thurston, it’s fair to say Lui has been a big disappointment so far. After bursting on the scene with the Tigers as a youngster, Lui’s career was derailed by off-field issues but his talent has never been questioned. With Thurston’s attentions turned to Origin, all of a sudden Lui must be the primary playmaker and if he’s not up to the job the Cowboys simply won’t win. Fail and he might quickly find himself at yet another career crossroads.

Tariq Sims, Jason Taumalolo

While Lui will shoulder much of the ball-playing burden for the Cowboys, powerhouse forwards Jason Taumalolo and Tariq Sims must also assume greater responsibility with the likes of James Tamou and Matt Scott away on Origin duties. It’s one thing to be a star in the making. It’s quite another to step up to the plate and show the guts to be a leader. Taumalolo and Sims have both been touted as rep players of the future. Now’s the perfect time to show why.

Ricky Stuart

After a period of promise early in the season, the Raiders are sinking like a stone towards the bottom of the ladder and Ricky Stuart’s career’s unlikely to survive a second straight wooden spoon. To avoid that dubious honour, the Raiders need to capitalise on the relatively minimal impact felt by their club during Origin, with Josh Papalii the only player selected. If they can snag a win against a decimated Cowboys outfit on Sunday, it might give them the bit of momentum they require to turn things around, potentially saving Sticky’s job.

Benji Marshall

After a horrible return to the NRL against the Eels on Saturday, it would come as a big relief to Benji and his teammates that they’ve got a bye this weekend. It’s an incredibly important fortnight for the Dragons. They need to work out how to tinker with their structure to get the best out of both Marshall and Gareth Widdop. If they can get their halves firing quickly the Origin period should be a fruitful one for the Dragons, given they only have to do without Trent Merrin and Brett Morris. If the struggles continue, the decision to sign Benji is going to start to look like a massive howler.

Warriors

The Warriors have looked a different team under Andrew McFadden and out of every side in the NRL they have the most upside during the Origin period. If they can take advantage of the fact that they don’t have to contribute a single player to NSW or Queensland, they’ve got every chance of nailing down a healthy position in the top eight when the stars from the other clubs return. Can they take that opportunity or will their trademark inconsistency come back to haunt them?

Ben Hannant, Josh McGuire

With Sam Thaiday injured and Corey Parker and Matt Gillett two of the first players picked for Queensland, the core of Brisbane’s forward pack has been shredded. To compete, the Broncos will need a lift out of their entire forward pack but Hannant and McGuire have the most at stake for different reasons. McGuire is full of mongrel and has been on the edge of Origin selection for a couple of seasons now. Step up under tough circumstances and he’ll be in poll position to take the next available slot in the Maroons. After reports of a falling out with coach Anthony Griffin, Hannant needs to take every opportunity just to stay in the shop window.