FOUR weeks after playing in Origin I, NSW half Brett Finch has lost the No.7 jersey at his club and Queensland forward Matthew Scott has been sacked from first grade.
And in another selection drama last night, Melbourne fullback Billy Slater's hopes of a Maroons comeback were dashed when he was sensationally dropped to feeder team North Sydney.
As predicted in The Daily Telegraph yesterday, Finch will play hooker for Sydney Roosters at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.
Centre Ryan Cross was shunted to the wing, rake Craig Wing to the three-quarter line, Josh Lewis is the new halfback and winger Vince Mellars was demoted to the bench.
"I'm making these decisions for the sake of the team," coach Ricky Stuart said.
"Brett started the year there (at hooker). Craig has played centre before. I'm not putting players into positions they're unaccustomed to and I think it can also deliver and offer a balance to the team."
Capping a bad day for Origin I match-winner Finch was his naming as the game's "biggest sook" in the annual Rugby League Week players' poll.
Canberra's Jason Smith is back from a broken thumb.
The Roosters are 12th with five wins and nine losses - not far from being mathematically ruled out of finals reckoning.
Struggling also is North Queensland. For Saturday night's WIN Stadium appointment with St George Illawarra, coach Graham Murray dropped five players: Scott, New Zealand international David Faiumu, Country prop Mitchell Sargent, winger Brenton Bowen, and halfback Brett Firman.
Second rower Luke O'Donnell (thumb) is back while Justin Smith is five-eighth and Johnathan Thurston halfback. Ray Cashmere is a surprise pick at prop.
Axed Cowboys will be spared the indignity of the club's Young Guns side - there are no Queensland Cup games this weekend.
Queensland chairman of selectors Des Morris, meanwhile, said Slater would still be considered for the July 5 Origin decider despite making his return from suspension in Premier League.
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said: "It is not a decision we took lightly. Ten weeks out of the game is a long time and I'm just not sure whether Billy was ready to come back into a game like this."
Slater added: "I have missed almost 10 weeks (of the season) and with the team going well, you tend to start second guessing yourself."
On Friday Melbourne hosts the Bulldogs, who have Mark O'Meley back from a groin injury while Trent Cutler comes onto the wing for the suspended Matt Utai.
Wests Tigers have Dene Halatau back from an ankle injury to play against Penrith at CUA Stadium on Saturday night.
Melbourne has confirmed coach Craig Bellamy's re-signing for three years while Dragon Michael Henderson is on the verge of joining Gold Coast.
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