Maroons coach Kevin Walters will not swing the axe in State of Origin III

KEVIN Walters will resist the temptation to swing the axe in State of Origin III with several under fire Queenslanders to survive the Game II defeat.

The Qld team before game 2 of the State of Origin series between NSW and Queensland at ANZ Stadium, Sydney. Pics Adam Head

QUEENSLAND coach Kevin Walters will resist the temptation to wield the axe with several struggling Maroons, including prop Jarrod Wallace, set to be retained for Origin III.

Walters’ show of loyalty comes as Maroons champion Johnathan Thurston called for besieged Ben Hunt to be picked for Game Three — just a week after blasting his grubber-kick “brain explosion” in Queensland’s 18-14 loss in Origin II.

The Maroons team for Origin III is named at 7pm Sunday and The Sunday Mail understands under fire prop Wallace and centre Will Chambers will survive for the dead rubber at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday week.

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However, Wallace is facing a demotion. The Titans prop is likely to be relegated to the bench, although Maroons enforcer Dylan Napa’s knee injury against Melbourne on Friday night could earn him a starting reprieve.

Queensland selectors have discussed dropping Wallace to the bench and promoting clubmate Jai Arrow to the starting side at lock, which would force Josh McGuire into the front row.

Wallace has run for a combined 87 metres in the opening two Origin matches and Queensland hierarchy believe the Maroons rookie can offer more affect, effect off the interchange bench.

Chambers, meanwhile, is believed to be safe at right centre despite error-riddled, back-to-back performances in which he has been comprehensively outplayed by NSW sensation Latrell Mitchell.

Queensland will try to avoid their first sweep since 2000. Picture by Adam Head.

Queensland selector Darren Lockyer is adamant the collapse of the Maroons’ record-breaking dynasty should not be the trigger for a ruthless shake-up of the side for Origin III.

“There won’t be mass changes,” he said. “The scales can tip very quickly in Origin and we were much better in Game Two.

“Some people will say there needs to be a fresh slate but we’ve already brought a lot of new faces to the team in the past year.

“I’m confident Queensland can hit back because we have every incentive to win. The players know it’s Billy Slater’s final Origin game at Suncorp and they won’t want to let him down.”

The most vexing issue is whether Walters will axe Hunt after two consecutive losses in the No. 7 jumper.

The Maroons will not debut any new players. Picture by Adam Head.

Selectors have considered Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans and Titans young gun Ash Taylor, but Walters is leaning towards giving Hunt one final shot at redemption.

Hunt found a surprising ally yesterday in his Game Two critic Thurston, who believes Taylor is an outside hope and instead urged the Maroons to show faith in the Dragons playmaker.

“It’s nice when you are a young half (like Taylor) and your name is getting mentioned at this time of year, but I think the selectors will stick with the team they have chosen,” Thurston said.

“Hopefully Benny Hunt is there as well.

“I was critical of all the halves, not just him, but that’s because I’m passionate about the jersey and I want to see them do extremely well.

Can Queensland restore some pride? Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

“I was devastated like everyone else that they didn’t get the job done.”

Lockyer said Taylor, who takes on the Wests Tigers today, is still developing as an NRL playmaker.

“There’s a few areas in his game he needs to tighten up, just around his discipline in defence,” he said.

“There’s no doubt he has the talent, but he just needs to get a little better in the 1 per cent things.”

LIKELY TEAM: Billy Slater, Valentine Holmes, Greg Inglis (c), Will Chambers, Dane Gagai, Cameron Munster, Ben Hunt, Dylan Napa, Andrew McCullough, Josh McGuire, Gavin Cooper, Felise Kaufusi, Jai Arrow. Bench: Kalyn Ponga, Jarrod Wallace, Coen Hess, Josh Papalii.

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