State of Origin 2021: Harry Grant admits Maroons teammate Reed Mahoney is NRL’s ‘form hooker’

He is in line to clinch Queensland’s No.9 jersey next week — but Harry Grant reckons he isn’t the form hooker in the Maroons squad.

Harry Grant is set to wear the No.9 jersey for Queensland in the State of Origin opener.

Harry Grant hasn’t played a game in a month, admits Reed Mahoney is the NRL’s form hooker and was written off by Origin legend Cameron Smith, but Queensland’s new No. 9 insists he won’t let the Maroons down.

Grant is in line to clinch Queensland’s starting hooker duties for next Wednesday’s historic State of Origin series-opener in Townsville after being listed in the No. 9 jersey.

The Melbourne dynamo produced a remarkable Origin debut from the bench in last year’s decider at Suncorp Stadium to help Queensland secure a memorable series victory.

Grant is set to be elevated to the starting side over Parramatta’s Mahoney as long as he overcomes a hamstring injury that has cruelled his past month.

Grant hasn’t played since Melbourne’s Round 9 win against South Sydney on May 6 after tearing his hamstring in training.

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Harry Grant insists he won’t let the Maroons down.

It will be more than a month between games if Grant takes the field at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in what promises to be a testing Origin encounter under the NRL’s faster new rules.

Smith, Queensland’s greatest ever hooker with 42 Origin appearances, last week backed Mahoney to start at hooker for the Maroons on the back of Grant’s injury struggles.

Grant could be forced to play 80 minutes if coach Paul Green opts for utility AJ Brimson on the bench instead of Mahoney, but the 23-year-old rake insists he won’t let Queensland down on the big stage.

“For sure, I’ll do whatever it takes and back myself physically and mentally to do that,” Grant said.

“I’m not sure where I’m at with the team and selections. We’ll wait and see what happens.

“(Mahoney) has been the form hooker all year. Some of the things he is doing in the game and the minutes he is pumping out…he’s had an awesome start.

“I’m not sure which way Greeny is going to go, but hopefully we can have that relationship and combination similar to what Brandon (Smith) and I have at the Storm.”

Harry Grant starred off the bench for Queensland in his State of Origin debut last year. Picture: Peter Wallis

Grant missed the opening four rounds of the NRL season with a knee injury and has only started one match, with Storm coach Craig Bellamy opting to give Brandon Smith the starting dummy-half duties most weeks.

The Maroons have numerous fitness concerns, with fullback Kalyn Ponga (groin), five-eighth Cameron Munster (foot) and Brimson (knee) also under injury clouds.

Green backed Grant to play 80 minutes if needed but admitted he wanted clarity on his team later this week, as opposed to giving players until match-eve to prove their fitness.

“We’ll wait and see how his week pans out,” Green said.

“Fitness is not a challenge for Harry. He is a very fit player in his own right. Part of his game is based around that.

“If we had to (play him for 80 minutes) I’d have confidence in him.

“I don’t want to let them drag on for too long. We need to get the team bedded down and some good practice in the bank.

“We got a fairly good read on them beforehand. We didn’t want to have too many distractions while we’re here.

“We’re reasonably confident with most of them. Hopefully by Thursday we will be a bit clearer.”

After playing all 12 games for Parramatta this season and shining, Mahoney was right in the mix to secure the starting hooker duties.

But he has been listed in the No. 19 jersey and will only come into the team if there is a withdrawal.

Mahoney, 23, said he was stunned by Smith’s praise and he was ready to go if needed.

“I saw that, it was pretty special for him to come out and say that,” Mahoney said.

Reed Mahoney is ready to go if Queensland calls. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

“It means everything (to make this squad) – it’s the reason I moved away from my family to pursue my NRL career. After all the sacrifices I’ve made along the way it’s all worth it.

“I feel I’ve been pretty consistent. I’ve worked really hard on that and during the pre-season to get my body right.

“I’m definitely ready. If I get my opportunity it will be an awesome moment.”

Grant completed some light fitness test drills at Suncorp Stadium on Monday as a small group of Maroons players trained.