Maroons suffer blow with Tom Gilbert injured, Beau Fermor and Kurt Mann emerge as replacement options

The Maroons have suffered an injury blow ahead of Origin I, with a Dolphins star in doubt after picking up an injury in their loss to the Warriors. But two replacements have emerged.

Beau Fermor has rocketed into the Maroons frame as the Titans back-rower and Bulldogs rival Kurt Mann battle it out for a Queensland Origin debut following Tom Gilbert’s latest setback.

Queensland selectors are watching Fermor closely and the Gold Coast forward has 80 minutes to launch one final Origin audition in Sunday’s clash against Canberra.

Maroons coach Billy Slater is on the hunt for a new backrower after Dolphins captain Gilbert suffered a pectoral injury in Saturday’s 16-12 loss to the Warriors.

Gilbert is awaiting scans after leaving the field in the 29th minute but will miss Wednesday week’s series-opener at Suncorp Stadium, and potentially the entire series.

Tom Gilbert is in doubt for State of Origin Game I after suffering a pec intjury in the Dolphins’ loss to the Warriors. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s a pec injury,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said.

“We won’t know the severity of it until we get scans. He’s obviously going to have some sort of time on the sidelines.

“He is disappointed but he is a tough man. He’s handled disappointment before and knows how to get through it.

“He’s not going to be playing in the next couple of weeks with a pec injury.

“I don’t know the exact severity. If it was minor he would have played on. The fact he came off the field…he’s going to be out for some period of time.”

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Fermor will oppose in-form Raiders back-rowers Zac Hosking and Hudson Young, the latter of whom was a member of NSW’s title-winning squad last season.

Maroons hierarchy have held lengthy discussions over the composition of their interchange bench and both Fermor and Mann have been mentioned at the selection table.

Mann has impressed Slater in Canterbury’s charge to the top of the league, while Fermor has been outstanding in his return from a knee reconstruction which wiped out his 2023 season.

The Titans back-rower has played 80 minutes in all nine games for Gold Coast this season, averaging 101m and 27 tackles to go with five tries.

One of the club’s fittest players, Fermor would have no issues with the intensity of the Origin arena and spent time in Camp Maroon last year preparing for a potential Queensland call-up.

Highlighting Fermor’s form, Titans coach Des Hasler has given him the coveted left-edge spot ahead of $1 million superstar David Fifita.

Beau Fermor during Maroons camp in 2022. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The 26-year-old Dalby product has caught Slater’s eye with the brilliant line running and powerhouse charges that will test the Raiders today at GIO Stadium.

Slater has been equally impressed with Mann, the 205-game NRL veteran who is playing the best football of his career at age 32 with the ladder-leading Bulldogs.

Last month, Slater told this masthead Mann, his former Melbourne teammate, had surged into contention with his workrate and versatility.

“There’s a number of guys who haven’t played for Queensland yet that are certainly building habits in their game that are of the quality and standard of this footy team,” Slater said.

“A guy who has done a great job for a team that is performing well is Kurt Mann at the Bulldogs.

“I am loving what he is doing. He is a bit older than the other guys but your actions determine what happens with selection and Kurt Mann would do a wonderful job if the opportunity got put in front of him.

“He is definitely in the mix. He is speaking with his actions on the field.

“He adds a bit with the footy as well as his toughness. He has good footwork and he has played in the halves in the NRL.

“I actually played in his debut game in Melbourne (2014) and he was in the centres and he won the game for us, he caught a cross-field kick from Cooper Cronk and scored in the dying stages.

“He is pretty tough as well so the Origin arena wouldn’t be overwhelming for someone like Kurt.”

Kurt Mann in action for the Queensland under-20s in 2012. Picture: Action Photographics/Robb Cox

In other selection news, Daly Cherry-Evans will be retained as halfback barring injury, with Tom Dearden set to play a vital role as Queensland’s No.14 super sub.

Gilbert and Jeremiah Nanai had been pencilled in as starting back-rowers, while Valentine Holmes is safe at centre despite patchy form for the struggling Dragons.

Titans duo Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Mo Fotuaika shape as Queensland’s starting props in a historic moment for the Gold Coast club.

Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin, a former Maroons playmaker, believes Dearden would relish the bench utility role.

“Tom Dearden is the type of guy who will do whatever is asked of him for the team,” Ikin said.

“Tom could bring a whole lot of energy at dummy-half and he is so competitive he could cause a bit of damage as a roving middle.

“We’ve got some great depth this year which is a great sign going into what is always a closely fought series with the Blues.”