Queensland fans pick Origin side, call for teen debut and DCE captaincy
Last week we put the call out to Queensland fans to pick their team for Origin I, and as always our Maroons faithful delivered. Check out the Game One squad here!
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Queensland fans have decided on their 2019 Maroons squad, calling on Kevin Walters to hand youngster David Fifita his Origin debut and bestow the captaincy upon Daly Cherry-Evans.
In an exclusive couriermail.com.au online poll, more than 2000 teams were picked for the opening match against the Blues.
Kalyn Ponga (97.6% of the votes) and Cameron Munster (94.9%) were almost unanimously voted in to be picked at fullback and five-eighth respectively.
The surprise pick was teenage forward Fifita, who was given the green light by the Maroons faithfuls to make his Origin debut in the No.17 jersey amid a standout season with the Broncos.
The 19-year-old has been involved in the Queensland system since under-15s and Maroons supporters believe it’s time for him to step up.
Fifita last week told The Courier-Mail he had his eyes set on an Origin debut.
“My next goal is to put that Maroons jersey on … hopefully the opportunity will come,” he said.
“Growing up, I had that dream to play Origin, but it’s important I stay grounded.”
Brisbane teammate Anthony Milford (42.4%) pipped AJ Brimson, Moses Mbye and Ash Taylor in the vote for the No.14 jersey.
The votes have also revealed Queensland fans are willing to forgive Cherry-Evans and reward him with the 2019 captaincy on the back of his performance last year.
DCE scored almost double the amount of votes to that of Munster for the skipper’s job ahead of Michael Morgan and Josh McGuire.
The Manly halfback is racing the clock to be fit for selection after undergoing ankle tightrope surgery five weeks ago.
The Mackay product has been ruled out of tonight’s clash with the Titans but has assured Walters he will be ready to train with the Queensland side come Monday.
Walters last month said he though Cherry-Evans was “more than capable” of being Queensland captain.
“It’s a great positive mindset from DCE, being captain of Manly for several years and doing a great job there,” he said.
“We have some really good candidates. There are some great leaders and a good leader leads in his own way, not try to do it as GI has done.
“I’m really excited about the future of Queensland rugby league.’’
Queenslanders have turned away from North Queenslanders Gavin Cooper and Coen Hess following the Cowboys’ poor season start.
Also on the outer is Jarrod Wallace who failed to make the fan-picked side as did Tim Glasby.
Instead the diehard Maroons fans have opted for Josh Papalii (43.5%), Dylan Napa (27.1%), Felise Kaufusi (41.5%), Matt Gillett (43.4%) and Josh McGuire (56.8%) as the starting forwards.
Jai Arrow, Matt Scott and Fifita made up the Queenslanders bench forward spots.
The contentious No.9 position was handed to Ben Hunt (73.3%), who received three times as many votes as the other hooking option Jake Granville (26.7%).
In the backs, Dane Gagai (37.6%) and Corey Oates (85.2%) were chosen on the wings while Will Chambers (63.9%) and Michael Morgan (33.9%) were selected in the centres.
MAROONS FANS’ ORIGIN TEAM
1. KALYN PONGA (97.5%)
■ Comfortably the most picked player in any position in the team. Michael Morgan scored 1.1% of the vote with Moses Mbye and AJ Brimson behind him, but we dare say that has more to do with club allegiances than anything else.
2. COREY OATES (85.1%)
■ The overwhelming choice for the No.2 jersey ahead of Dane Gagai (7.5%), who lost votes to fans wanting him playing in the No.3, No.4 and No.5 positions. Oates also scored 11.3% of votes in the No.5.
3. WILL CHAMBERS (63.9%)
■ Well ahead of Gagai and Michael Morgan, who both lost votes to them playing in other positions. Chambers garnered 25.1% of the popular vote for the other centre position as well.
4. MICHAEL MORGAN (33.9%)
■ Was actually the second most picked player at No.4 behind Gagai, who was needed at No.5 instead. Morgan was a distant second at No.1, was third favourite for the No.3 jersey, was given little love behind Cameron Munster at No.6, had his fans in the No.7 (17.1% of the vote), and was also given a fair bit of love in the No.14 utility position (24.3%). A jack of all trades that fans overwhelmingly want in the team – they just can’t agree where to put him.
5. DANE GAGAI (37.6%)
■ Fans spread their votes for Gagai around the centres and wings, and he was the popular choice at both No.4 and No.5. Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt had a bit of local love for him to make his debut, with 24.6% of No.5 selections going his way, however he barely rated a mention in the other positions.
6. CAMERON MUNSTER (94.8%)
■ There’s no debate here – Munster is the Queensland No.6. Once again, Morgan rated a small mention ahead of Anthony Milford and Corey Norman, but this one’s a no-brainer.
7. DALY CHERRY-EVANS (77.4%)
■ A fairly conclusive result for the No.7 position, although Morgan still dragged in 17.1% of the vote despite being a popular selection at other positions.
8. JOSH PAPALII (43.4%)
■ The most popular man at both No.8 and No.10, and also lost a limited number of votes to No.11 and No.12. Overall scored 36.8% of the popular vote in the No.8 and No.10 combined, ahead of Dylan Napa who scored 22.0%.
9. BEN HUNT (73.2%)
■ There’s been plenty of debate about whether Hunt or Jake Granville should fill the vacant No.9 role, but the fans overwhelmingly went for the ex-Bronco, who also had some love at the No.14 utility position. Would be interesting to see what the result would be if Andrew McCullough and Jake Friend were available.
10. DYLAN NAPA (27.1%)
■ Scored 22% of the overall vote with No.8 and No.10 combined and was the clear favourite behind Papalii for a starting position.
11. FELISE KAUFUSI (41.5%)
■ Just pipped Matt Gillett for the No.11 jersey, but when combining the No.11 and No.12 votes Gillett scored the lion’s share (42.2%) ahead of Kaufusi with 36%. David Fifita was a distant third with 8.4%.
12. MATT GILLETT (43.3%)
■ As above, Gillett and Kaufusi were the clear favourites with the fans, although there was still some love for Fifita, Gavin Cooper and Coen Hess.
13. JOSH MCGUIRE (56.8%)
■ Another clear winner in essentially a two-horse race, with Jai Arrow going at 43.2%. McGuire was also the fourth most popular No.10 behind Papalii, Napa and Arrow.
14. ANTHONY MILFORD (42.3%)
■ Fans couldn’t find a place for him on the field but they were pretty keen to see the Broncos playmaker in the maroon jersey. Morgan was the second most picked No.14 but he was needed elsewhere, as was Hunt who rated third for the utility spot. Moses Mbye was the next most popular choice with 11.3% of the vote.
15. JAI ARROW
■ While the other bench spots weren’t offered as a voting option, we collated the best of the rest big guys to fill the No.15, No.16 and No.17 spots. Arrow was the second favourite No.13 option, while also getting 10.6% of the vote for the No.8/No.10 positions.
16. MATT SCOTT
■ Plenty of questions have been raised as to whether Matt Scott is still up to it in Origin, but the fans certainly have a soft spot for the big bloke. The veteran Cowboy scored 11.5% of the vote at No.8/No.10 to be third behind Papalii and Napa, and ahead of Arrow who lost votes to the No.13 position. Jarrod Wallace (4.9%) was the next most popular at No.8/No.10.
17. DAVID FIFITA
■ Broncos fans bias? Maybe, but Fifita was a popular choice at No.11/No.12 with 8.4% of the vote to sit behind Gillett and Kaufusi. Gavin Cooper (5.7%) was the next best.
CAPTAIN: DALY CHERRY-EVANS (44.0%)
■ In the end it wasn’t really close. DCE’s redemption story is complete. It was close between Munster and Morgan for second place (26% and 23% respectively), while McGuire had a little bit of love too.
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