‘I’ll be ready’: tough Koloamatangi eyes Blues call-up

Darren Walton | June 24, 2025

South Sydney colossus Keaon Koloamatangi has put his hand up for a State of Origin recall after revealing he played a full NRL game with a fractured eye socket.

Calls are growing for Koloamatangi to be included in Laurie Daley’s NSW squad for the July 9 series decider in Sydney following the 27-year-old old’s immense form since moving to the front row for the Rabbitohs last month.

Now Koloamatangi is only too happy to answer any SOS call from Daley should the coach be tempted into shaking up the Blues squad after last week’s series-levelling 24-22 loss to Queensland in Perth.

If Daley and his selectors do make any changes to the NSW team for Origin III, they would likely draft Koloamatangi in for Stefano Utoikamanu or Max King. 

“It would be pretty cool to play in the decider. Never played in one before, so that’d be something different, and obviously you want to play something like that in your career,” he said on Tuesday.

“It’s up to Laurie and whatever team he picks. If I get the call, I’ll be ready and I know I can do a job.

“But I’m not thinking about whether I get picked. Obviously I’d love to play Origin but it’s out of my control.

“I just want to play well for the club and try to get to the top eight.”

After playing his lone Origin match for NSW in 2023, Koloamatangi spent a week in camp with the Blues as 18th man but didn’t travel to Perth for game two after being injured against Canterbury two weeks ago.

His form, though, for the Rabbitohs has been mighty since shifting to the middle for Wayne Bennett.

“I’m just sort of trying to get through as much work as I can and just trying to put my team in the best position I can to get the two points,” he said.

“I’m just trying to do anything I can – take a carry, try and do a tackle, so trying to keep working hard at that and trying to get the two points.”

Doing whatever he can reached extreme levels last weekend when Koloamatangi played 80 minutes and achieved 235 run metres in Souths’ tight loss to Melbourne despite confirming on Tuesday he had fractured an eye socket against the Bulldogs.

“But I was lucky enough it was in a unique spot,” the ironman forward said.

“I saw the surgeon and everything, and he said there was no need for surgery and I was able to play if I felt right.

“The only worry was if I copped a knock in the exact same spot, which is pretty unlikely.

“So that was good news for me, and I was happy I was able to play and I avoided surgeries because I love being out there playing footy. I just love being out there and especially playing for this club.”