ˈæftɚ ðə hˈɛvi lˈɔs ɪn ɡˈeɪm ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː ðə nˈuː sˈaʊθ wˈeɪlz sᵻlˈɛktɚz mˌeɪd fˈaɪv tʃˈeɪndʒᵻz, bɹˈɪŋɪŋ ɪn mˈæt kˈuːpɚ, pˈɔːl ɡˈælən, kɹˈeɪɡ ɡˈaʊɚ, lˈuːk oʊdˈɑːnəl ænd bˈɛn hˈoːɹnbi æz wˈɛl æz mˈuːvɪŋ mˈæt kˈɪŋ ˌɪntʊ ðə sˈɛntɚz, mˈɑːɹk ɡˈæsniɚ tə fˈaɪvˈeɪtθ ænd lˈuːk bˈeɪli ˌɪntʊ ðə stˈɑːɹɾɪŋ sˈaɪd.
After the heavy loss in game II the New South Wales selectors made five changes, bringing in Matt Cooper, Paul Gallen, Craig Gower, Luke O'Donnell and Ben Hornby as well as moving Matt King into the centres, Mark Gasnier to five-eighth and Luke Bailey into the starting side.