Queensland selectors stay loyal as Maroons pick State of Origin side for Game 1 in Sydney
QUEENSLAND this is your team for Game One, the Kevin Walters era has begun. North Queensland Cowboy Justin O’Neill debuts at right centre, partnered with in-form Newcastle Knight Dane Gagai.
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QUEENSLAND this is your team for State of Origin I in Sydney, the Kevin Walters era has begun.
Cowboy Justin O’Neill will make his Maroons debut at right centre and will be partnered with Newcastle Knights’ Dane Gagai, who has played himself into the team.
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O’Neill’s North Queensland teammate Kyle Feldt however has been overlooked following his poor performance against the Broncos last Friday night.
Gagai has been performing well at fullback in a poor Knights team.
He was excellent against the Tigers on Saturday, 24 hours after Feldt made a series of errors.
Broncos winger Corey Oates will debut on the left wing in the Maroons team that is officially confirmed tonight at the RNA Showgrounds.
Maroons veteran Nate Myles has kept his place in the side and is expected to start with Sam Thaiday to come off the bench.
Walters won’t finalise his run on team until next week.
But Darius Boyd will be fullback with Greg Inglis at left centre.
Jacob Lillyman is the unluckiest player, the only incumbent available for selection who missed out.
The NSW Blues will named their team yesterday.
Blues coach Laurie Daley dumped eight players from last year’s disastrous decider and will blood four Origin rookies in next week’s series opener.
Daley unveiled a 19-man squad with the new faces being Matt Moylan at fullback, Adam Reynolds in the halves, Josh Mansour on the wing and Dylan Walker on the bench.
MAROONS
1. Darius Boyd, 2. Corey Oates, 3. Greg Inglis, 4. Justin O’Neill, 5. Dane Gagai, 6. Johnathan Thurston, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Matt Scott, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Nate Myles, 11. Aidan Guerra, 12. Matt Gillett, 13. Corey Parker, 14. Michael Morgan, 15. Sam Thaiday, 16. Josh Papalii, 17. Josh McGuire.
BLUES
1. Matt Moylan, 2. Blake Ferguson, 3. Josh Dugan, 4. Michael Jennings, 5. Josh Mansour, 6. James Maloney, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Robbie Farah, 10. Paul Gallen, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Josh Jackson, 13. Greg Bird, 14. Dylan Walker, 15. James Tamou, 16. Andrew Fifita, 17. David Klemmer, 18. Tyson Frizell, 19. Josh Morris.
Originally published as Queensland selectors stay loyal as Maroons pick State of Origin side for Game 1 in Sydney
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