Wayde Egan starring for New Zealand Warriors in 2023

Last Wednesday night's game in Adelaide was, in viewing terms, about as tough as it gets. Freddy's Blues looked terrible.

Now injury has hit, and if the pitchforks weren't already out after that meager Game One outing the sweeping calls for change in the wake of Nathan Cleary's hamstring issue and Cam Murray's groin twinge have been almost overwhelming - kind of like Queensland in the final 10 minutes of last week's series opener.

Nicho Hynes - bring him in. Wait, what about Cody Walker? He's in form. Do we think Walker would combine better with his old Souths' halves partner Adam Reynolds? If that happens, let's use Damien Cook too. Club combos, it's the way to go.

If that's the case, what about Jarome Luai? Yep, let's punt him. And while we're at it ... (deep breath) ... Tedesco? Stop it.

The vultures will continue to circle; that's about the only certainty in all of this.

But what last week's 26-18 loss in the city of churches does unveil is what options are on the table for NSW moving forward.

And this is where we're headed - the future.

Here's a name I'm willing to toss up: Wayde Egan.

One of Lithgow's finest.

The Lithgow Storm junior has been great for the Warriors - up the 'Wahs' - in 2023 and it should come as little shock to find the New Zealand boys in the top 8 as we near the halfway mark of the season.

Egan touches the ball more than any other Warrior on the field.

His work around the ruck is all class. He engages markers as well as any young No.9 in the competition and his deception and class have developed immensely in the last 12 to 18 months.

Watch any of the Warriors highlights in 2023, and his work in the middle of the field is paramount to just about everything good the team has produced.

Shaun Johnson is firing. The Warriors pack is menacing and rolling forward. Don't underestimate the Egan effect in all of that.

In nine games this season, he's scored four tries, laid on another, forced a drop out with his kicking game, made four line breaks and busted close to a dozen tackles. No bad numbers.

For comparison, the man many deem the best No.9 in the NRL, Harry Grant has two tries, six try assists, two lines breaks, five forced drop outs and a couple of line breaks, but in more games - the Storm rake has played in 12 games in 2023.

Egan is developing into an elite hooker - there's no two ways about it.

Now, this isn't a call for Egan - who was a star for Penrith in the old under 20s competition too and played in the 2015 Group 10 grand final as a halfback for Lithgow against Orange CYMS - to walk into the NSW side at Suncorp for the next Origin game.

Api Koroisau will be there, and there's a chance Damien Cook lands on the bench. Right now, in 2023, both get the nod ahead of young Egan easily.

But both of those players are north of 30 - Koroisau's 30 and Cook 31.

Egan should absolutely be in the equation should one or both hang up their representative boots in the near future - or, worse ... (another deep breath) ... NSW goes on to lose this series, badly.

In 2018 rugby league immortal Andrew Johns was asked about Egan.

"This young fella understands what it's all about," Johns said at the time.

He added: "I hate to say it, but he reminds me of Cameron Smith when he first started."

The only qualm? "[He] just needs to work on his body, physically, and he'll be a top-liner for sure."

Egan's now at that point. His body has matured. He's a top-liner, as Johns predicted.

Blayke Brailey, Reece Robson and Egan are all the same age - they each turn 25 in the 2023 season.

And you have to think all three will be fighting it out for the NSW Blues No.9 jumper at some point in the future.

But, for my liking, there's a very real chance Egan out-points them both and gets a crack in a Blues jumper in the years ahead.

And what a day that would be for both Lithgow and Western Division - the former a proud rugby league nursey already well represented at a state level.

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