State of Origin 2022: Queensland Maroons debutant’s partner heavily pregnant

Queensland Maroons debutant Reuben Cotter may have to make one of the toughest decisions of his life before the first State of Origin game.

NRL 2022 RD12 Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans - Selwyn Cobbo, Try. Picture: NRL Imagery

Maroons menace Reuben Cotter is anxiously hoping the birth of his first child comes after he torments the NSW Blues in his State of Origin debut.

Cotter’s partner Mackenzie Falco is heavily pregnant with the couple’s first baby in the lead-up to Wednesday week’s Origin series-opener at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

Cotter was on Monday confirmed as one of four Queensland debutants in new coach Billy Slater’s red-hot Maroons squad for Game One.

He will join Cowboys teammate Jeremiah Nanai and Broncos duo Selwyn Cobbo and Pat Carrigan in donning Queensland colours for the first time.

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But blitzing the Blues isn’t the only thing playing on Cotter’s mind in Camp Maroon.

The hard-working lock forward is hoping “Baby Cotter” can wait until after game day before making an arrival in Townsville.

“I called my partner (first to tell her I’d been selected) – she’s at home, heavily pregnant,” Cotter said.

“We are expecting a little one in the next few weeks. We are pretty excited.

Queensland debutants Patrick Carrigan, Selwyn Cobbo, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

“Fingers crossed she can hold off for the next couple of weeks and time it perfectly.”

Cotter, 23, is one of a number of fearless selections from rookie coach Slater as the Maroons look to regain the Origin shield after last year’s disastrous series loss.

Broncos flyer Cobbo, 19, has been selected after just 19 NRL games on the back of a blistering run of form.

Cobbo didn’t even have Slater’s number saved in his phone when he received the call on Sunday night to inform him he would be making his State of Origin debut.

“I got this random phone call and answered it. It was Billy,” Cobbo said.

“He rang me around 7pm and asked what I was doing, asked how my day was. Then he said I was in the team. It was exciting and emotional.

Reuben Cotter with partner MacKenzie Falco. Picture: Instagram

At the couple’s baby shower. Picture: Instagram

“I didn’t think I would be in the team this year. It’s another goal achieved. It’s exciting.

“I will feel nervous when I run on the field, but at the same time you will see me with the biggest smile on my face.

“Even though it will be challenging and there’s tough times during the game I will still have the biggest smile. I love playing footy, this is my passion.”

After two lean years for the Maroons when it comes to player depth, Slater had a smorgasbord of talent to choose from when he sat down with his fellow selectors on Sunday night.

Cowboys trio Tom Dearden, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Murray Taulagi are on the extended bench following hot club form.

Broncos winger Corey Oates was unlucky to miss out on the 22-man squad while quality forwards Jai Arrow (19th man), Moeaki Fotuaika and David Fifita were also overlooked.

Carrigan will make his debut off the bench after missing last year’s series following a knee reconstruction and said he had to deliver or risk being dropped.

“It’s crazy when you list the guys like that (that missed out),” he said.

“I’m grateful I get to put the jersey on. It’s a surreal feeling at the moment but it will feel special running out.

“Hopefully I can hang on to it and not let that feeling slip away ever. There are a lot of good Queenslanders at the moment so hopefully that translates to a few more series wins.”

After assembling in Brisbane on Monday, the Maroons will head into camp at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Maroons usher in new era with four rookies

- Peter Badel and Travis Meyn

Rookie Queensland coach Billy Slater has ushered in a new era by naming four debutants — Broncos duo Selwyn Cobbo and Pat Carrigan and Cowboys aces Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai — for Origin I.

News Corp can reveal Cobbo’s extraordinary NRL rise is complete with the 19-year-old to be blooded on the wing against NSW in Game One in Sydney on Wednesday week — less than 12 months after making his Brisbane debut.

Cobbo is not the only Bronco to celebrate a Maroons baptism, with middle-forward Pat Carrigan to debut off the interchange bench after his lionhearted efforts driving Brisbane’s surge into the top four.

Meanwhile, North Queensland’s charge to third spot has delivered an Origin bonanza with a stunning six Cowboys to be unveiled in an extended 22-man squad to be named on Monday.

Cotter, Nanai and Valentine Holmes will feature in Queensland starting 17, while Cowboys teammates Tom Dearden, Murray Taulagi and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow have been added to the extended squad.

Selwyn Cobbo has been in hot form. Picture: NRL Imagery

In other Queensland selection news for the series opener at Accor Stadium on June 8:

* Souths workhorse Jai Arrow, who played in two games last year, has been relegated to the extended squad;

* Titans $1 million man David Fifita and clubmate Mo Fotuaika have been snubbed;

* Ben Hunt is Queensland’s super-sub in the No.14 jumper, with prop Lindsay Collins to come off the bench supporting starting front-rowers Josh Papalii and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui; and

* Incumbent Broncos prop Tom Flegler has lost out to Carrigan, although he remains in the 22.

But the huge bolter is Broncos sensation Cobbo, who this time last year was playing Queensland Cup for Wynnum Manly on a basic $60,000 deal and has sensationally clinched his Origin debut after just 19 NRL games.

The Indigenous flyer from Cherbourg has lit up Brisbane’s flanks this season, impressing with the speed, raw instincts and fearless running that have swept him to 10 tries in his last six games, including a hat-trick and three doubles.

However, Cobbo’s debut comes at the expense of teammate Corey Oates, who has missed out on an Origin recall despite a sensational start to the season.

Corey Oates misses out. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Cobbo, who celebrates his 20th birthday three days before Origin I, vowed to do the job for Slater as Xavier Coates’ wing partner as he prepares for the biggest game of his fledgling career.

“I will try my best, like I always do. I won’t let anyone down,” Cobbo said after Brisbane’s defeat of the Titans last Friday night.

“At the start of this year I wrote down a couple of goals,

“I wanted to make the All Stars and I achieved that. I also wrote down that I wanted to play for the Maroons.

“I’m not going to lie, I will be pretty scared, but I will be up for it.”

While Cobbo is the feel-good story of the backline, Cotter is Queensland’s shining light in the forwards. The 23-year-old has fought back from the trauma of two knee reconstructions and has been outstanding this season, headlined by his 63 tackles with no misses against Penrith last week.

Cowboys forward Reuben Cotter will debut. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images).

Jeremiah Nanai has been a revelation for the Cowboys. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

That workrate sums up why he has clinched the No.13 jumper ahead of Carrigan, with Slater last week praising the Cowboys workhorse’s attitude.

“There is a lot to like about the Cowboys and their improvement is good for Queensland’s Origin stocks,” Slater said.

“I like the fact Reuben Cotter has gone through adversity, he’s had a few knee reconstructions. He is one guy I have enjoyed watching over the past six weeks.

“I want our players playing consistent football with the type of physical and mental toughness that Reuben shows.”

Aside from Cotter, Nanai has also clinched a Queensland debut.

The classy 19-year-old has scored 10 tries this season and will come off the bench as Queensland’s most inexperienced back-rower in Origin history with just 16 NRL games under his belt.

Holmes has sealed a centre berth alongside Dane Gagai after a slick positional switch from fullback this season, while Kalyn Ponga is Queensland’s No.1 in a spine comprising Cameron Munster, skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and hooker Harry Grant.

Dearden’s selection in the extended squad is a fabulous reward for the 21-year-old playmaker, whose confidence was shot when he left the Broncos midway through last season to start afresh at the Cowboys.

Originally published as State of Origin 2022: Queensland Maroons debutant’s partner heavily pregnant