State of Origin Game 3 teams: Tom Dearden to start at five-eighth for Queensland Maroons
Cameron Munster’s replacement is set for the State of Origin decider despite Billy Slater’s cryptic 11th hour messaging. See the Maroons team.
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Queensland coach Billy Slater is set to take his first big Origin gamble by starting unproven Cowboys rookie Tom Dearden at five-eighth in Wednesday night’s Origin decider against the Blues.
Slater has attempted to keep the Blues guessing by insisting Dearden is no certainty to replace Covid-stricken Cameron Munster as he weighs up starting hooker Ben Hunt at second receiver in Origin III.
But it is understood Dearden has been told he will start at the scrumbase alongside skipper Daly Cherry-Evans in the biggest baptism of the Broncos discard’s NRL career.
Only a last-minute change of heart from Slater, who mulled over deploying Dearden off the bench, will prevent the Cowboys pivot starting in the iconic No.6 jumper made famous by Queensland legends Wally Lewis and Darren Lockyer.
It is understood Dearden trained at five-eighth at Queensland’s captain’s run at Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Slater was tight-lipped until the very end.
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Speaking to the media at his final press conference before Queensland’s captain’s run, 24 hours out from the Suncorp decider, the Maroons coach applied the ultimate poker face as he refused to reveal whether Dearden is the five-eighth ace up his sleeve.
“I can’t confirm that right now. Our players are very clear on their roles, I’ll say that,” Slater said.
Asked if Dearden is his likely starting pivot, Slater said: “Yeah ... he will play five-eighth when he is out there.
“Whether he starts or not, we will make that decision closer to the game.
“We have to name a 19-man squad (on Tuesday) and we will do that and then we will name our team an hour before kick-off.
“Tom Dearden will wear the No.6, we will work out whether he starts the game or comes off the bench.”
Pressed on whether he knows the make-up of his 17-man squad, Slater added: “We are pretty clear. I know my team. I know our team. It’s Queensland’s team.”
Dearden is preparing for a five-eighth baptism from the opening seconds.
Since Munster was scratched from Queensland’s Origin III preparations, the 21-year-old has predominantly trained outside Cherry-Evans, familiar with the Maroons’ structures after spending the entire series in the extended squad.
Starting Dearden at five-eighth is the most logical, and least disruptive, move for a Queensland side that views Storm hooking sensation Harry Grant as a match-turning super sub off interchange.
Slater said his scrumbase selection conundrum should not be seen as the Queensland coach lacking faith in Dearden’s ability to step-up for Munster, the Maroons’ most dangerous player.
“I’ve said to Tom a number of times throughout the series, if he was wearing a Maroon jersey in a State of Origin game, I wouldn’t be concerned one bit,” Slater said.
“I am really confident in Tom, I love the way he plays his football.
“He is a true competitor, he is a tough defender, he organises his area really well and he brings out the strengths of the people around him. I am happy for Tom that he has got the opportunity because he has really earned it.
“We have an opportunity to start Harry Grant and Ben Hunt can move into the halves. He (Hunt) is leading the Dally Ms at the moment and he is playing great football, that’s why he is in the team.
“Tom can play a number of roles but I see him playing in the halves when he gets out there.”
Cherry-Evans backed Dearden to fire from the outset at the Suncorp cauldron he knows well from his stint at the Broncos.
“Tom has really impressed me in our camps,” the skipper said.
“He is keen to learn and he is just watching everything that happens and I can see he is taking it all in.
“I hope I have played a role in his development in this series because he has a great attitude and has a big future in the Queensland jumper.”
The hint that gave away Maroons spine
- Callum Dick
The tale of the training tape suggests Maroons debutant Tom Dearden will be thrust into the famous No.6 jersey but Queensland is playing coy ahead of Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium.
Dearden trained predominantly at five-eighth in Monday’s field session at Sanctuary Cove and shared more than a few tactical exchanges with his would-be halves partner Daly Cherry-Evans before the team bus departed for Brisbane.
But the Maroons skipper refused to confirm who would replace the irreplaceable Cameron Munster at five-eighth for the return to Suncorp Stadium, as the Maroons stare down another against-all-odds series victory.
“We’ve got a really clear idea of who is where. When the official team lists come out an hour before kick-off, I’m sure that’s when everyone else will find out as well,” Cherry-Evans said on Monday.
Since Munster and Murray Taulagi were ruled out of game three with Covid-19 the question of who would partner Cherry-Evans in the decider has grown legs.
Ben Hunt plays his club football in the halves and it is in that role that he led Dally M voting before it went private, but the Dragons’ ace has predominantly played his Maroons football in the No.9.
Dearden looked and played the part of a starting five-eighth during Maroons training on Monday, marshalling players and combining with Cherry-Evans for the bulk of the session.
“We’re lucky we have a few options there (at five-eighth). Tommy is definitely one of them and so is Benny,” the Maroons captain said.
“Tommy is playing great footy for the Cowboys. I think everyone watching him come through and develop all saw the ability he had so it’s great to see him play like he is.
“Tommy won’t skip a beat out there. Just the style of footy he plays; he’s brave, he’s a good defender (and) he’s a competitor. He won’t let the game go by.”
Irrespective of where the cards fall come Wednesday night, Cherry-Evans was clear that no one would be asked to play the Munster role.
“We don’t need anyone to be Cameron Munster. There’s no one in the comp that can replicate Cameron Munster,” he said.
“We just need to go out there and play our best game and I think the past two training sessions we’ve had, we’re pretty clear on what our best game looks like.”
Many have already written Queensland off without game one hero Munster in the side. And more will worry whether 21-year-old Dearden is ready to be parachuted into such a moment.
For his part, the Cowboys star is just relishing the moment.
“I don’t think there’s any better time to debut really than in a State of Origin decider at Suncorp,” Dearden said.
“I’m really excited about it. It’s a massive opportunity and there’s so many greats that have played for Queensland and worn the number six jersey as well. I can’t wait for it.
“Queenslanders are relying on us to get out there and do Queensland proud and I’m going to do my job for Queensland.
“It has been a tough couple of years to start my NRL career but I still really love playing footy and that was the main thing that I kept telling myself.
“During the tough times (at the Broncos) I stuck with it and I’m starting to really enjoy my footy and I’m getting the rewards off the back of that.”
DCE backs under fire Maroons prop
Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has backed under fire prop Josh Papalii to respond to critics of his form by leading Queensland’s pack to victory in the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium.
Papalii has played just 47 minutes across the opening two games and by his own admission far from his barnstorming best when on the field. But Cherry-Evans has called on the “leader” of the Maroons’ pack to muster all of his 10 years’ worth of State of Origin experience when his time comes on Wednesday night.
“From the outside looking in, on where he’s been, we’re excited where Paps’ mentality is this week,” said Cherry-Evans, whose Maroons debut came alongside Papalii in 2013.
“You talk about opportunities, well when people start to talk about you the only way you can respond is your football. I can’t wait to run out there with Paps. I know he’s going to be right up for it.
“Paps is the leader of our pack. He doesn’t have to say a whole lot but his actions speak louder than most people I’ve played with.
“There’s been a little bit of external noise about where his game is at and what people think is a good game for Josh Papalii. That challenge has been laid to him and I’ve got no doubt he’s responded, so that’s why I’m excited about Wednesday night.”
The 30-year-old veteran will have reprise his brilliant best if Queensland is to clinch an unlikely series victory, following the dismal second-half showing in Perth and loss of superstar Cameron Munster to Covid-19 for game three.
The Maroons always stand taller at Suncorp Stadium but Cherry-Evans said it was up to the playing group to give the fans something to cheer about and not rely on the home crowd advantage to get them over the line.
“We’ve spoken about how exciting it is and the great opportunity we have to play in front of a Suncorp crowd for a decider. As a Queenslander that’s so exciting,” he said.
“We want to give them something to cheer about, we don’t want to have to wait for them to cheer us on.
“We want to play the style of footy that’s going to bring the crowd into the game because (that means) we’re playing good football.”
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