Iconic Queensland coach Mal Meninga has named seven fringe Maroons players who he reckons must get serious consideration for selection in this year’s series — including three debutants, and one star who “needs to be there”.
With NSW holding the Origin shield, Meninga urged current Queensland coach Billy Slater to inject some new blood.
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“I see bolters, I really do,’’ Meninga told SEN radio.
“Origin is getting faster, quicker, stronger. I feel it is becoming a young person’s game. I would be looking at players with younger legs and the right character.
“I would be throwing them in there and having a bit of a crack. There are a few bolters. Beau Fermor (Titans), Corey Horsburgh (Canberra) and Trent Loiero (Storm) has a bit of a hothead but you don’t mind someone like that, and I don’t mind Alec McDonald (Storm).
“He is a quality player who never gives up. That is the type of player you are looking at.
“You bring in the Tom Gilberts and J’Maine Hopgoods, and Tom Dearden needs to be there as well.
“Younger legs, competitive players. I feel they can come into contention this year.’’
Fermor, Loiero and McDonald would be debutants, while Horsburgh (one game), Gilbert (two) and Hopgood (one) have tasted Origin football. Dearden (four) famously debuted at five-eighth in a decider win in 2022, but is typically stuck behind Cameron Munster; though his man of the match performance for Australia in last year’s Pacific Championships final has him banging on the door for selection.
DALEY EYES PAPENHUYZEN AS UTILITY
NSW coach Laurie Daley has revealed Storm superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen “has been spoken about” as a potential utility option for the Blues.
The 26-year-old is in arguably career-best form at the back for Melbourne, delivering a fullback masterclass in the Storm’s 64-0 win over the Tigers on Sunday.
Papenhuyzen scored four tries and broke the Storm’s individual point scoring record in the NRL era with 36, surpassing Mat Geyer’s 34 point effort in 1999.
A battle between Dylan Edwards and James Tedesco has emerged for the No.1 jersey, however Papenhuyzen’s form can’t be ignored.
Daley was asked if the Storm gun could be considered for a bench utility role and his response gave a huge indication regarding his potential selection plans.
“Yes. Yeah he is someone who could play that role very well I think,” Daley said on the Big Sports Breakfast on Monday morning.
“With the speed of the game, fatigue and all those types of things you could inject him. He could be there as cover for an injury to an outside back.
“But I think you could get him into the game as a lock and inject some speed in and outside the ruck. That’s not a silly idea… it’s something that has been spoken about.”
Papenhuyzen has previously played off the bench under Craig Bellamy, playing 19 games for the Storm off the pine with his last coming in Round 27 2023.
He began his career in 2019 off the bench and is set to compete with the likes of Connor Watson and Matt Burton for the utility role in this year’s Origin series.
Elsewhere, Rothfield also reported that veteran enforcer Jake Trbojevic is unlikely to be named NSW captain this year if he makes the squad.
Instead, Panthers gun Isaah Yeo is set to get the nod to lead his state after a successful stint at the helm for the Kangaroos in the 2024 Pacific Championships.
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IS DCE A LOCK FOR QUEENSLAND?
The Sea Eagles are struggling with four losses from their last five games.
So is Queensland veteran Daly Cherry-Evans still an automatic selection for Billy Slater in the No.7 jersey?
The 36-year-old has been one of the Maroons’ most loyal servants and a consistent performer at Origin level since he re-emerged as a key cog in Queensland’s spine in 2018.
Veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield posed a big question on Monday morning, asking: “Do you reckon Queensland will pick Daly Cherry-Evans?”.
“They have been so poor since he made his decision to leave,” Rothfield explained.
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“There’s some players at that club that are very upset with his decision, that he quit with nowhere to go.
“They are playing to me like a disconnected rugby league side… I thought Cherry-Evans was poor yesterday and we’ve got to be fair dinkum here.
“Cameron Munster is going strong, very strong. There’s a guy at the Cowboys, Tom Dearden who has played a lot of halfback… the way he is playing I find it nearly impossible to keep Dearden out.
“I just don’t think he’s a (certainty) to make that side.”
NSW coach Laurie Daley was certain Tom Dearden would find a spot in the Queensland 17, having played all three games at five-eighth last year.
“I don’t think they will leave Dearden out, he will be in the 17 somewhere,” Daley said.
