State of Origin 2017: Queensland debutant Tim Glasby the man to stop NSW prop Andrew Fifita

HE’S Queensland’s self-confessed “nobody”, but Tim Glasby could be a shock starter in Origin II as the Maroons bank on the debutant’s mastery of the wrestle to shut down NSW monster Andrew Fifita.

Tim Glasby is one of the best defensive technicians at the Melbourne Storm. Picture: Peter Wallis

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QUEENSLAND’S self-confessed “nobody” Tim Glasby could be a shock starter in Origin II as the Maroons bank on the debutant’s mastery of the wrestle to shut down NSW’s Andrew Fifita.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Glasby was handed his maiden Queensland jumper after coach Kevin Walters watched the Storm prop muzzle Fifita in Melbourne’s defeat of Cronulla last week.

Melbourne are renowned as the finest practitioners of ruck control in the NRL with their tackling style and Glasby is among the Storm’s best defensive technicians.

Fifita destroyed Queensland in the midfield in Origin I and Walters believes the Storm alliance of Glasby and hooker Cameron Smith can employ their tactical guile to halt the giant Blues prop.

Smith, who was able to give his opinion of Glasby to Walters before the team selection, says he knows it will be good to have Glasby outside him on Wednesday as he is a player he can rely on.

Tim Glasby could slow Andrew Fifita in the ruck. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding

“I get to play alongside him every week for the Storm and he’s the type of player you need in Origin football,” Smith said.

“If I look up and I need someone to carry the ball, he’ll be there to carry it for me. If you look on your inside and you need him to make a tackle, he’ll be there.

“He’s a wonderful player who has never let anyone down when I’ve played alongside him. He’s worked extremely hard to put himself in this position.”

Walters suggested Glasby would start off the bench, but the Maroons rookie is tipped to be catapulted into the early exchanges tasked with ensuring Fifita does not run riot.

After dubbing himself a “bit of a nobody” yesterday, Glasby said he did not know where he would play but admitted it would take some work to bring Fifita down.

Tim Glasby was a surprise selection for the Maroons. Picture: Peter Wallis

“He’s mobile, fast and he’s a big boy,” Glasby said of Cronulla’s Fifita.

“It’s a tough job … I can’t say what the boys did to prepare for it last game … but there will be a focus on it.”

Queensland veteran Darius Boyd also backed Glasby to play a key role in nullifying Fifita as the Maroons fight to save the series at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium next Wednesday night.

“Defensively we need to be better on Fifita and Tim Glasby is a key part of that,” Boyd said.

“I watched the Melbourne game on the weekend and they did a good job on Fifita.

“They were really tight and compressed and tackled him in numbers and that’s something we didn’t do in the first game.”