State of Origin 2018: Four Origin stars who were pitched into battle at late notice
QUEENSLAND could yet be forced into another late change following the injury to Dane Gagai. Here’s a look at some other Origin stars who didn’t get a lot of notice.
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QUEENSLAND could be forced into another last-second shuffle ahead of Origin I with Dane Gagai battling to overcome a suspected compound dislocation to take his place at the MCG.
If Gagai is ruled out, Queensland will be forced to switch Will Chambers to wing, Michael Morgan to centre, Cameron Munster to fullback, Anthony Milford to five-eighth and Kalyn Ponga will be handed his Origin debut.
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It would be a serious spanner in the works for the Maroons, but not an unprecedented one.
Here are four times Origin teams were forced to make late changes over the course of State of Origin history.
Brett Finch, Origin I, 2006
The Blues originally selected Craig Gower at halfback for Game I of the 2006 series but the Penrith playmaker was ruled out after breaking down with a knee problem at the Captain’s Run 24 hours before the match.
Matt Orford got the call but had to turn it down due to a hip injury. Andrew Johns declined the chance to come out of representative retire and Trent Barrett was also unavailable, so Brett Finch, who had one Origin game to his name from two years before, got the call on the eve of the match.
Wearing number 20 on his back, Finch scored the first try and kicked a booming field goal in the 78th minute to set up a 17-16 victory and secure his place in Origin folklore.
Andrew Johns, Origin II, 2005
After undergoing a full knee reconstruction in 2004, Johns was out of sorts to begin 2005 and a broken jaw suffered early in the season didn’t help matters.
With just one game under his belt, he was overlooked by the selectors for Origin II before an injury to Trent Barrett pitched the Newcastle legend into the fray.
Johns responded with one of the finest performances of his career, leading the Blues to a 32-22 victory that levelled the series.
Matthew Johns, Origin III, 1998
Heading into the 1998 decider the Blues were ravaged by injury and forced to make six changes from the side that smashed Queensland 26-10 in Game II.
Most notably, inspirational hooker Geoff Toovey was ruled out the morning of the match and the desperate Blues were forced to call up Matthew Johns, who had never played dummy half in his first grade career.
Despite Matty’s best efforts, the Blues went down 19-4.
Terry Lamb, Origin I, 1981
Back in 1981 Origin matches were still one offs, and the Blues were left in the lurch when five-eighth Mick Pattinson woke on matchday with a serious ear infection.
The South Sydney product was ruled out and a frenzied dash began for a replacement — Terry Lamb was selected, and was literally called down from the top of a telegraph pole to take his place in the side (Lamb was working as a linesman for Telecom at the time).
A rushed flight to Brisbane followed, and Lamb started the match at five-eighth. The Blues led 15-5 at halftime but a powerful second half from Queensland ended in a 22-15 triumph for the Maroons.