Maroons bolters confirmed as Billy Slater’s State of Origin I team unveiled

The Maroons are locked in for Game 1, with coach Billy Slater naming three Queensland debutants as he promised to fight the Blues’ firepower with all-out attack of his own.

Billy Slater has crowned Maroons bolter Robert Toia “world class” and ready for a Latrell Mitchell Origin baptism as bruised Broncos star Pat Carrigan was cleared for the series-opener.

Queensland coach Slater officially unveiled his Origin I team on Monday morning ahead of Wednesday week’s clash with reigning series champions the NSW Blues at Suncorp Stadium.

The Maroons were savaged by injuries in a brutal round of NRL fixtures at the weekend, with Tom Gilbert (pec), Selwyn Cobbo (wrist) and Murray Taulagi (calf) joining Reece Walsh (knee) on the Queensland casualty list.

That left Slater and Queensland’s selectors scrambling for replacements on Sunday night, with Roosters dynamo Toia called in to make his Origin debut after just 10 NRL games. He will be joined by fellow debutants Beau Fermor (Titans) and Trent Loiero (Storm).

Toia, 20, will be thrust into the Origin furnace against Blues centre weapons Mitchell and Stephen Crichton, but Slater is confident the Nudgee product is up for the battle after overcoming back-to-back knee reconstructions.

“He is a world class centre,” he said.

“He is a top-line centre and although he is only 10 games into his career he has been through adversity.

“I have been watching him closely. He has great principles and his Roosters coach (Trent Robinson) has a high opinion of his game.

“We think he is of Origin class and are looking forward to him being a part of our team and building his game.

Robert Toia has earned an Origin call-up after just 10 games. Picture: Getty

“He has stood up every time he has played, he has been one of the more consistent players for the Roosters.

“Playing in the centres it’s man-on-man but it is a system and he is a great system player.

“They need to defend him as well. Hopefully, we can bring him into the game and hopefully he gets some ball in situations and is dangerous himself.”

Carrigan suffered a serious laceration to his lip/mouth in Sunday’s loss to the Dragons and underwent plastic surgery overnight.

The workhorse forward has been cleared of serious structural damage and Slater is confident the Queensland No. 13 will recover in time for the game.

“Patty had plastic surgery last night,” Slater said.

“I’m not sure if he needed it, he may have been worried about his looks.

“When you get contact to the face, and he has a laceration on his lip, the bigger thing is the structural damage.

“I spoke to Patty. His jaw is fine and he is in good spirits and looking forward to coming into camp.”

After losing last year’s series 2-1 despite winning Game One, Slater has shaken up Queensland’s preparation and will hold Camp Maroon on the Sunshine Coast instead of the Gold Coast.

Slater said Fermor and Loiero deserved their call-ups and the Maroons needed to start the series well on home turf with games in Perth and Sydney to follow.

“Beau is a team first player, he has worked really hard,” he said.

“He was really close a few years ago before he tore his ACL. He has worked hard like his captain at the Titans (Tino Fa’asuamaleaui) to get back and he has certainly earnt it.

Billy Slater has named three debutants for Origin I. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“Trent is another one who has worked hard. I am fortunate I work with Melbourne every week and have seen what he has put in over the past 18 months.

“Obviously the result of Game One is important, but it’s important to find our game and chase it over the next 10 days and give us a chance to play well next Wednesday night.

“Although the result is important, the process over the next 10 days is important.

“Going to Sunshine Coast is a great opportunity for people there to see us train. Sometimes a change isn’t the worst thing.”