Billy Slater is set to overhaul the Queensland Maroons for Origin I on May 27, with as many as nine incumbents at risk of missing out. The brisbane broncos-linked selection scramble comes after Tom Dearden was ruled out for six to eight weeks and is expected to miss the first two Origin games.
Slater And Queensland Spine
Slater is expected to keep Cameron Munster and Harry Grant in the spine, while Reece Walsh is tipped to edge Kalyn Ponga for the fullback jersey. Ponga is likely to sit in a No. 14 utility role again, giving Queensland a very different look from the side it has used in recent campaigns.
Dearden’s ankle injury came in Friday’s 33-30 loss to the Eels, and he will undergo surgery in the coming days. He is trying to recover in time for Game Three at Suncorp Stadium on July 8, but Queensland must plan without him for the opening two matches.
Incumbents Under Pressure
Gehamat Shibasaki, Valentine Holmes, Trent Loiero and Kurt Mann are among the players facing the axe, while Josh Papalii will not put himself forward for selection. Murray Taulagi is racing the clock with concussion, adding another layer to a selection battle that has already moved quickly.
Heilum Luki, Cooper Bai, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, Jojo Fifita, Max Plath, Briton Nikora, Jaxon Purdue, Sam Walker and Ezra Mam have emerged as front-runners for possible inclusion. Slater will name his Game One side in a week’s time, and his comments made clear he is weighing current form and habits rather than leaning on reputation.
Slater’s Selection Standard
“I don’t get caught up on individuals,” Slater said. “I make sure I am across everyone’s habits, how they are playing and the standard of their footy compared to where they were in previous years.” He added: “One thing I do know is it’s hard to flick a switch.”
“You can’t play like a park footy player all year and then expect to play like a Queensland Origin player in May,” he said. “You have to build habits in your game, irrespective of where you have been and what you have done in prior years.”
That approach fits the scale of the selection call. Queensland is chasing a fourth Origin series win in five years, and Slater has shown before that he is willing to move quickly; last year he stood down Daly Cherry-Evans after the series opener loss and blooded Rob Toia after just 10 NRL appearances. Wayne Bennett did something similar in 2001, when he blooded 10 debutants and Queensland won the series 2-1 in a shock upset.
The next week will tell the story of Slater’s overhaul. If Dearden stays out, the halfback debate narrows fast, and the players named above will be fighting for spots in a side that could look far removed from the one Queensland started last year.
