Michael Morgan says he won’t have any complaints if he’s benched for the Origin opener

NORTH Queensland’s $5 million man Michael Morgan says he won’t spit the dummy if he is axed from Queensland’s starting side for Origin I.

Queensland have several options for their halves combination.

NORTH Queensland’s $5 million man Michael Morgan says he won’t spit the dummy if he is axed from Queensland’s starting side for Origin I.

As he prepares for Thursday night’s clash against the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, Morgan concedes he is in danger of losing out to in-form Cameron Munster and Ben Hunt in the battle for Origin scrumbase spots.

As Australia’s World-Cup winning five-eighth, Morgan was considered the raging favourite to be Queensland’s chief playmaker this season following the representative retirements of Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.

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Michael Morgan won’t complain if played off the bench for Queensland.

But an abdominal injury and the Cowboys’ dismal early-season form has conspired against Morgan, leaving him facing the prospect of being demoted to the bench by Queensland selectors.

Morgan played centre in last year’s Suncorp decider but with Greg Inglis set to return to the No. 3 jumper, the Cowboys ace admits he will cop it sweet if he is relegated to the No. 14 jumper in which he launched his Origin career.

“If I’m on the bench, I will have no problems with that at all,” said Morgan, who will oppose Tigers No. 6 Benji Marshall on Thursday night.

“I just enjoy being part of the team and part of the group.

“Last year I started game three in the centres and I didn’t think that would ever happen, playing out wide in the Origin arena.

“The reality is a couple of guys are in good form. Ben Hunt is going great and he is every chance of being picked there somewhere.

“If he got the No. 7 jumper, that would be fine with me. He has worked hard, he has bided his time.”

Storm whiz Munster is Queensland’s five-eighth incumbent, while Hunt, the Maroons’ No. 14 in Origin III last year, is the form halfback in the league, having piloted the Dragons to the competition lead.

The in form Ben Hunt could win a starting spot ahead of Morgan.

Morgan, however, showed signs of rejuvenation in Bathurst last week. The Cowboys pivot spearheaded the Panthers boilover by scoring his side’s opening try and while his focus is on his club form, he has another fortnight to impress Queensland coach Kevin Walters.

“I haven’t thought too much about Origin, only because of how we have been going at the Cowboys,” Morgan said.

“It would be a selfish mindset if I’m thinking about Origin.

“It’s 100 per cent a goal of mine to be there but at the same time, it hasn’t been my main focus because I’ve been worried about how we are playing here.

“But I love being part of the Maroons and even if I can get a bench spot, that would be great after the start to the season I’ve had.”

Cameron Munster looks a certainty to start in the No.6 for Queensland.

Morgan admits he is continuing to play through the pain barrier with his niggling stomach injury.

“It’s still there and it’s just something I have to keep managing,” he said. “From when I first did it, it’s a lot better, but I knew when I was coming back from it that it would hang around for a while.

“I’m doing all the training during the week, it’s more the recovery side of it that I have to focus on. It will probably fix itself with rest but you don’t get too much rest at this time of the year.”

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