Bradman Best named to replace Latrell Mitchell in NSW Blues State of Origin III team, Mitch Barnett to debut off bench

Thanks for sticking around for that big news.

But lest we forget the NRL action from earlier today as the Roosters celebrated Jared Waerea-Hargreaves's 307th game for the club with a 42-12 win over the Dragons, and the Knights held on for a 16-12 victory in Canberra.

We'll be back tomorrow to cover all the news from the sporting world, including the Queensland Maroons' team announcement from 9:30am AEST.

Have a great night and we'll see you next time.

Newcastle's Bradman Best will replace the injured Latrell Mitchell in the centres for State of Origin III, and the Warriors' Mitch Barnett has been named to debut off the bench in place of Haumole Olakau'atu.

Best was the logical replacement for Mitchell. He was the incumbent after his debut in Game III last year and likely would've played this year's opener if not for an untimely hamstring injury and the other options his time around all had marks against them.

Tom Trbojevic looked well off the pace in his return from a hamstring injury for Manly last night, Joseph Sua'ali'i hasn't played since being sent off and suspended after Origin I, and Matt Burton is a completely different player — more of a playmaker than the powerful ball-runners Maguire seems to be looking for.

Barnett, meanwhile, has been in camp for the first two games and can play in the middle and on an edge.

No word on why Haumole Olakau'atu has missed out, but there hasn't been anything said about injuries to him.

The extended 20-man squad will be finalised on Monday.

The Maroons will name their team on Monday morning.

Could we see these two return to the Origin stage?

Both Josh Papali'i and Kalyn Ponga were brilliant for their teams tonight. With the Maroons looking for a spark in the decider, they could do worse than recall these two.

In case you need a refresher on who forced the men's State of Origin series to a decider with that 38-18 win in Melbourne:

1. 1.Dylan Edwards
2. 2.Brian To'o
3. 3.Latrell Mitchell
4. 4.Stephen Crichton
5. 5.Zac Lomax
6. 6.Jarome Luai
7. 7.Mitchell Moses
8. 8.Jake Trbojevic (C)
9. 9.Reece Robson
10. 10.Payne Haas
11. 11.Liam Martin
12. 12.Angus Crichton
13. 13.Cameron Murray
14. 14.Connor Watson
15. 15.Isaah Yeo
16. 16.Haumole Olakau'atu
17. 17.Spencer Leniu

You'd imagine Michael Maguire will only make changes forced by injury, which is likely to only be finding a replacement for Latrell Mitchell, who is expected to miss with a foot injury.

Canberra captain Elliott Whitehead helps them set up the advertising signage after it collapses as he sits down with coach Ricky Stuart.

Stuart is gutted with that result after a fighting loss. You can hear the passion he has for his team every week.

"I like to be a good coach of the uncoachables. If you get that right you have a competitive football team."

He credits the likes of Adam Cook, Ethan Strange and Kaeo Weekes for excelling while learning on the job and chancing their arms.

"I hope to talk to you this time next year just to see the growth of those kids. We've decided to go that way in terms of our recruitment and I'm not disappointed with that decision.

"I'd rather have the kid with courage than the kid who wants to put everything in his back pocket."

On the other end of the age spectrum, Stuart backs Josh Papali'i for a State of Origin return.

"Papa is an unbelievable talent. He'll go down as one of the greatest two or three front rowers this club's ever seen.

"He won't get bullied like they [Queensland] did last time."

Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien says he would be "shocked" if Bradman Best isn't picked for NSW in Origin III, and Kalyn Ponga "never lets his state down".

All that being said, and while he was impressed with Ponga's return from injury, he wasn't exactly blown away by the team's second-half performance.

"We looked like we were trying to lose that one at some points," he says in his post-match press conference.

"But I'd rather sit here and try to find things to be happy about rather than unhappy. I'll do that [look for faults] tomorrow."

On Ponga: "He never lets his state down. I'd be super supportive, super proud. I know how much it hurt him not to be there. I'd be rapt for him."

On Best: He's banked some good performances. I'd be shocked if he wasn't [picked]."

The Blues squad for the July 17 decider will be announced within the next few minutes, and we'll bring you the news the moment we get it confirmed.

It was a war of attrition for the final half-hour, but Newcastle hangs on to beat the Raiders on their home patch by a matter of centimetres.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart stomps straight back into the sheds after the full-time siren. His team worked hard tonight, but really didn't have the polish at the end of sets, especially late in the game.

No!

The Raiders regather a bomb and fling it right. Adam Cook grubbers in behind Greg Marzhew and Xavier Savage flies past him, but he knocks on in trying to ground the ball, and the Knights will look to run out the last minute of this game.

The Knights go up the other end and Kalyn Ponga skips past the rushing defence on the last, but he tries for too much and takes a stack, knocking on and handing the ball to Xavier Savage, who is fortunately wrangled in by Jackson Hastings by just a handful of jersey.

The last tackle lets Canberra down again as Adam Cook's cross-field kick is fielded easily by makeshift centre Dylan Lucas.

Simi Sasagi swoops on a kick and sprints 30 metres.

Now Ethan Strange gets it on the right and the Knights are scrambling desperately.

Kalyn Ponga fumbles a bomb in an aerial contest with Xavier Savage and it comes down to Simi Sasagi.

He powers for the line, but Daniel Saifiti and Bradman Best to make a miracle try-saver at the last.

And the bunker spies a knock-on by Savage in the contest with Ponga.

Another near miss for the Raiders and another life for the Knights.

Adam Cook's grubber is fumbled by Kalyn Ponga, but into the hands of his teammate Bradman Best.

The Knights haven't fired a shot for a while here and they look ready to crack. Although Fletcher Sharpe has entered the fray now.

First Ethan Strange knocks on in a short-side trick play under pressure.

But the second is less excusable, with Adam Cook dropping it cold one off the ruck in the middle of the field. Just lost focus for a millisecond.

Canberra can't afford to waste too many more of these chances.

Ponga fields a spiralling bomb from Adam Cook and beats a couple of tackles, including one of Xavier Savage, who gets up hobbling. Looks like his leg made contact with that of a flying Elliott Whitehead.

A knock-on by Ata Mariota in a tackle from Leo Thompson puts Canberra right back under pressure with the Knights packing a scrum 30 metres out.

But Ponga knocks on in a heavy tackle from Elliott Whitehead, saving the day again.

Kaeo Weekes makes a meal of trying to catch a bomb and knocks it back, before Knights prop Leo Thompson knocks on.

Weekes showed his inexperience as a fullback there but they get away with it.