State of Origin 2017: Josh Papalii vows to protect Anthony Milford from Blues

JOSH Papalii will become a Maroon bodyguard for Queensland debutant Anthony Milford after vowing to protect his best mate in his Origin baptism.

NSW will have to go through Papalii to get to Milford. Photo: Peter Wallis

HARD-HITTING Josh Papalii will become a Maroon bodyguard for Queensland debutant Anthony Milford after vowing to protect his best mate in his Origin baptism.

NSW’s monster forwards are formulating a plan to maul Milford in Origin I at Suncorp Stadium this Wednesday night following the withdrawal of Maroons champion Johnathan Thurston.

At 176cm, Milford will be the shortest player on the field in his Origin debut and he faces a torrid assignment halting Blues giants Andrew Fifita (194cm), Aaron Woods (194cm) and David Klemmer (198cm).

But first NSW’s big boppers will have to get past brutal back-rower Papalii, a 112kg wrecking ball who is on a mission to protect Milford from a Blues battering.

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NSW will have to go through Papalii to get to Milford. Photo: Peter Wallis

Milford will be stationed on Queensland’s left defensive edge, with Papalii on his inside and rangy Test star Will Chambers providing a further 101kg of muscle outside him at centre.

Queensland and Broncos hitman Tonie Carroll was famously used as a defensive minder for Darren Lockyer — and the Maroons will dust off an old tactic to shield Milford.

Papalii and Milford lived together during the pivot’s three-year tenure at Canberra and their off-field bond will now be tested by the Blues in the heat of Origin battle.

“I will be looking after him,” Papalii told The Courier-Mail.

“Not just because he’s my best mate, but he’s wearing the Maroons jersey as well and you want to work for your mate next to you. That’s what you want to do.

“I play on the left side and ‘Milf’ does too. Hopefully we can work on some combinations.”

News of Thurston’s withdrawal at 9.45am filtered into NSW camp just as Blues players hit the training paddock at Kingscliff.

NSW coach Laurie Daley will instruct his Blues forwards to target Milford, aware he averages three missed tackles per game for the Broncos this season.

By making Milford work overtime in defence, the Blues are hoping it will also erode his energy levels in attack — the most formidable facet of his game.

Lockyer recalled the confidence he derived with the fearless Carroll beside him and he believes Papalii will have a similar influence on Milford.

Papalii won’t be shy throwing his weight around. Photo: Colleen Petch.

“Papalii is lethal,” Lockyer said.

“It’s good for Milford to have Josh there beside him. NSW may try to single him out but he will have Papalii and Chambers beside him. That’s two aggressive big bodies to cover for Milf.

“It’s comforting. As a smaller guy, it’s nice to know you have a big bloke beside you and I know ‘Tunza’ (Carroll) relished the responsibility of whacking blokes if they were trying to target me.

“Josh is one of the best hitters I’ve seen when he gets it right technically. If the Blues are talking about potentially targeting Milf, he will relish taking up the challenge to NSW.”