Maitland’s Pasami Saulo and Cessnock’s Brodie Jones in NSW Blues under-18 team in State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium

The match will take place before State of Origin - Game II.

Jones played in the equivalent match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last year, and represented the under-16 Blues in 2014.

He is currently a member of the Newcastle Knights NYC Under-20 team.

Saulo starred with the Knights SG Ball team this year, winning the Knights’ most prestigious junior prize, the Carlson Club-Andrew Johns medal.

The Maitland junior helped Newcastle’s under-18s reach the grand final qualifier and also took out the SG Ball Excalibur Club players’ player and player-of-the-year awards.

Fellow Knight Tom Starling has also been included in the 18 man squad, which is coached by NSW legend Brad Fittler.

Former Maitland junior Greg Bird will feature in the main event, hoping to keep the Blues hopes alive in the three-game series.

The veteran back-rower will play his 17^th match for NSW since his debut in 2007.

Bird missed out playing State of Origin last year due to an eight match suspension for a dangerous throw in May.