By Nick Wright
Two years after announcing his State of Origin retirement, Josh Papalii has answered a stunning SOS from Queensland coach Billy Slater and will lead the Maroons pack into the series decider.
The Canberra enforcer, who is tipped to leave the NRL at season’s end, has wound back the clock in 2025 as the Raiders surge to the top of the ladder, and is expected to start in the front row alongside Tino Fa’asuamaleaui in a comeback to rival that of Allan Langer 24 years ago.
Slater, who played for the Maroons with Papalii, was asked upon his game two selections if there had been any temptation to lure the 33-year-old back. He had said no at the time.
Papalii will not arrive in camp until Wednesday and instead will spend time with his family after his wife gave birth to their son on Friday. Papalii replaces Moeaki Fotuaika although there was no room for his club teammate Corey Horsburgh, despite running 193 metres and making 38 tackles and no misses in his final audition against Newcastle.
“It’s probably something I’ve had in the back of my mind for a couple of years now, in particular this year with the way Big Papa has been playing for Canberra,” Slater said.
“I was a little unsure of the response I would get. I spoke to Papa a couple of days ago, and the response was pretty much where my head was at.
Josh Papalii is expected to start in the front row for the Maroons in the third match of the 2025 State of Origin series.Credit: Getty
“He’s got an aura about him, he’s a real warrior and has been for this footy team for a long time.
“I’ve never discarded it, I’ve never put a line through it. Although he’s retired, I always thought he’d love to come back for a game. I just feel it’s the right time.”
The greatest surprise has been reserved for Gehamat Shibasaki.
Shibasaki arrived in Brisbane this year on a train-and-trial deal, and has kept representative stars Selwyn Cobbo and Deine Mariner in reserve grade.
The 26-year-old this year played a third of his 45 career NRL games since his 2018 debut and has scored 12 tries, made 13 line-breaks and 58 tackle busts while averaging 147 running metres a game for the Broncos.
It marks an incredible rise from obscurity, given he entered the Broncos’ preseason for what he thought would be a 12-week stint and believing his career was done.
Shibasaki’s inclusion comes at the expense of Reece Walsh, who has been named in the squad but has been overlooked for Kalyn Ponga’s vacant fullback jersey in favour of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Walsh has been in electric form since returning from a knee injury, scoring two tries and coming up with four try assists, five line-break assists and 11 tackle busts, while averaging 132 running metres a game in three victorious appearances for the Broncos.
The 22-year-old was favoured to take over from Ponga, who suffered a Lisfranc injury on Friday night, before Tabuai-Fidow’s four-try heroics for the Dolphins against South Sydney.
Valentine Holmes will shift to Tabuai-Fidow’s game two wing to accommodate Shibasaki.
While there were fears Walsh’s fitness may cost him, Slater confirmed he would not have been named in the squad if he did not believe he could do the job, and it was more a case of Tabuai-Fidow’s form winning the race.
Walsh has been targeted heavily in his five Queensland games, most famously when he was concussed badly following a Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii tackle that resulted in the latter being sent off.
Broncos captain and former NSW halfback Adam Reynolds believed Walsh would provide the Blues with several headaches, given even in Queensland’s Perth triumph they were still outscored four tries to five.
“He belongs in that arena. He certainly would give the Blues a few headaches and things to think about, but I’m a Blue Wednesday,” Reynolds said.
Queensland Maroons’ game three squad
1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow; 2. Xavier Coates; 3. Robert Toia; 4. Gehamat Shibasaki; 5. Valentine Holmes; 6. Cameron Munster; 7. Tom Dearden; 8. Josh Papalii; 9. Harry Grant; 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui; 11. Reuben Cotter; 12. Kurt Capewell; 13. Trent Loiero; 14. Kurt Mann; 15. Lindsay Collins; 16. Pat Carrigan; 17. Jeremiah Nanai; 18. Reece Walsh; 19. J’maine Hopgood; 20. Josh Kerr