Moses Mbye verge of Maroons State of Origin debut on standby for Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk
MOSES Mbye is on the verge of a stunning State of Origin debut, with the Bulldogs sensation on standby for Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
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MOSES Mbye is on the verge of a stunning State of Origin debut, with the Bulldogs sensation on standby for first-choice Maroons halves Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
Injuries, suspensions and Mbye’s blistering start to the season has seen him surge up Queensland’s playmaking pecking order ahead of Canterbury’s clash with Canberra on Monday night.
Queensland selector Darren Lockyer believes Mbye is ready for an Origin baptism, a scenario that could become reality if Thurston or Cronk are injured in the lead-up to Origin I.
The 22-year-old was considered a longshot for Maroons selection this season, but the banning of Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt, and Daly Cherry-Evans’ fresh ankle injury has catapulted Mbye into the frame.
New Maroons coach Kevin Walters is sweating on the Thurston-Cronk alliance staying intact, but Lockyer confirmed the Bulldogs young gun is at the forefront of Queensland’s scrumbase contingency plan.
“Moses would be ready for Origin this season,” said Lockyer, State of Origin’s most-capped playmaker with 36 appearances.
“When you speak to him, you think, ‘Geez, he’s one switched-on young man’.
“Moses has been on the radar for a little while. The ageing spine of the Queensland team is certainly an issue and Kevin (Walters) is out there looking at what his options are to replace Thurston and Cooper.
“Queensland has a succession plan and it’s comforting to know Moses is an option if JT or Cronk aren’t fit.”
Mbye plays just his 37th first-grade on Monday night against the Raiders at Belmore and wasn’t expected to push for senior Queensland honours until around 2018.
But the Emerging Origin camp fiasco in January, which led to the 12-month suspension of eight hopefuls, including Hunt and Milford, has quickly increased Mbye’s Queensland stocks.
Maroons utility Michael Morgan is the obvious Plan B option given his playmaking experience at the Cowboys, but when asked if Mbye is a shadow contender, Queensland coach Kevin Walters was unequivocal.
“Yes, Moses is in the mix,” Walters said.
“Anyone who makes the Emerging Origin sides is on the radar, but given our situation with the halves Moses is one guy that has impressed me.
“We’ve got Michael Morgan as first cab off the rank, so he could hit the ground running (in the event of injury), but Moses is the other option there for us for sure.
“If he continues to improve, he will put himself in the frame for Origin, either this year or at some stage in his career.
“He showed a lot of leadership at the Emerging Origin camp, especially as a young half.
“He has always been a pretty mature young kid. I actually coached Moses in the (Queensland) under-20s side so I’ve had a bit to do with him.
“He is one of those players who always impressed me and has a maturity to get the job done.”
Lockyer said the Noosa product, who idolised Thurston as a teenager, ticks all the boxes.
“It’s one thing to have talent but what I also like about Moses is his attitude,” he said. “He works hard, is very team-oriented and is mentally mature ... he’s got all the attributes of a representative player.”
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Originally published as Moses Mbye verge of Maroons State of Origin debut on standby for Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk
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