State of Origin: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui tipped to take over Queensland captaincy

The Maroons have a host of options ready for when current Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans hands over the leadership duties but one stands head and shoulders above the rest. Vote in our poll

Former Maroons skipper Trevor Gillmeister has anointed Titans hardman Tino Fa’asuamaleaui as the man to succeed Daly Cherry-Evans as Queensland’s next captain.

Gillmeister, the forward icon who famously checked out of hospital to inspire Queensland’s 1995 series boilover, says Fa’asuamaleaui is the enforcer to lead a new era for the Maroons.

It’s no coincidence that Queensland suffered a 2-1 series loss last year to NSW without Fa’asuamaleaui, who missed the entire 2024 campaign due to a ruptured ACL.

Now Big Tino is back in business, with the towering 197cm, 110kg prop primed to spearhead Queensland’s pack in Wednesday night’s series opener at Suncorp Stadium.

A captaincy succession plan beckons for the Queensland Rugby League.

Daly Cherry-Evans has been Queensland’s captain since 2019, but with the halfback champion considering walking away from Origin football after this series, the Maroons could have a new skipper in 2026.

Is Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (L) the man to take over when Daly Cherry-Evans ends his representative career? Picture: Getty Images

Three decades after Gillmeister led Paul Vautin’s Neville Nobodies to a stunning 3-0 rout of the Blues, ‘The Axe’ says there is only one man to take the captaincy baton from Cherry-Evans.

“Tino can do the job, absolutely,” said Gillmeister, the 22-game Maroons back-row legend.

“I had a bit to do with him when he was younger and also with the Australian side.

“He is the perfect captain ... he just conducts himself so well on and off the field.

“Tino is so respectful and a lovely young fella, but on the field, he has a bit of mongrel up his sleeve if he needs it.”

Queensland coach Billy Slater has a plethora of leadership options in the post-DCE era.

Fullback Kalyn Ponga, 27, holds the leadership reins at Newcastle, hooker Harry Grant, 27, was named Storm skipper last year and Maroons duo Reuben Cotter, 26, and Tom Dearden, 24, share the co-captaincy at the Cowboys.

Lock Pat Carrigan has captained Brisbane and is part of the Broncos’ leadership group this season, while five-eighth Cameron Munster, 30, commands enormous respect among his peers.

But former Maroons lock Billy Moore says the 25-year-old Fa’asuamaleaui, the Titans’ captain since 2022, is the standout choice to succeed Cherry-Evans.

“He is a certainty to replace DCE. He is the next Queensland captain for me,” Moore said.

“Tino is the player you can build your franchise around and your state around.

“He is absolutely ready to succeed Daly. He is as good a leader as it gets.”

Moore believes Fa’asuamaleaui can have the same influence as NSW front-row legend Glenn Lazarus, who won six premierships with Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne.

“He is the Queensland version of Glenn Lazarus,” Moore said.

“You look at what Lazzo did for the Raiders, the Broncos and the Storm - he was the greatest prop of all-time and I think Tino can lead the way for Queensland in a similar vein.

“He is tough as nails, but he has had a wholesome family upbringing in the Queensland town of Gympie. He has made the most of every opportunity and every young kid who speaks of Tino says, ‘I want to be as good as him’.

“Daly and Tino are different types of leaders but Tino can be just as effective.

“He wouldn’t be the general behind the line like DCE, Tino would be the general in the trenches.

“Tino can take his career to the next level next year.

“If Daly stands down from rep footy at the end of this series, I think he’s the perfect leader to succeed DCE.”

Fa’asuamaleaui’s manager Simon Mammino spotted the young tearaway as a 15-year-old.

He says he has lost count of the number of selfless acts from the Titans prop, including once driving three hours to hometown Gympie to surprise a fan battling cancer.

Mammino says Fa’asuamaleaui should be the face of Queensland rugby league for the next decade.

“Tino is the best rugby league player I have ever seen off the field,” the veteran agent said.

“If the NRL wants a role model for the next generation of fans, they should look no further than Tino.

“So many NRL players get into off-field dramas but I am prepared to bet that you will never read a story about Tino being involved in a scandal.

“He is not a spoiled brat.

“The best leaders are born leaders and I could see Tino was a genuine leader with his personality, his moral and ethical standards and most of all his respect for other people.

“I believe he can be a captain of not only the Titans, but the Queensland Origin team.

“He is a shining light for NRL players.”

Fa’asuamaleaui, who plays his 13th Origin game on Wednesday night, insists he will carry no scar tissue from his knee reconstruction ordeal last year. Watching last year’s series from his living room has only ignited the fire within.

“I feel like I owe it to the boys,” he said.

“Being out for the year and watching that Origin series, it really hurt.

“I couldn’t help what happened, things happen in life, but I’ve put myself in the best position to work hard and be the team player everyone wants to play with.

“When I play Origin, I think of not only my family, but all the young kids in Queensland who might be watching us, like I used to watch my heroes.

“I don’t have any doubts. It’s more a confidence thing of finding your feet again and getting used to the pace of the game.

“Whenever you run, you think someone will come at your leg from the wrong position. It was raw at first coming back, but with each week, I’ve got more confidence.

“I just love this arena. The whole game is aggressive. Every moment counts. I love being out there winning.

“It was difficult to watch from the sidelines, I missed it so much, but now I’m back and I can make a difference on Wednesday night.”

Originally published as State of Origin: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui tipped to take over Queensland captaincy