State of Origin 2024: Crunch time for David Fifita, Ezra Mam needs a miracle to win Queensland No.6 jersey, likely Maroons team revealed
It’s crunch time for an under-pressure David Fifita, with the Titans forward in danger of being dropped from the Maroons side after an inconsistent season. See the likely Queensland team.
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Titans back-rower David Fifita is fighting for his Queensland jumper as Broncos coach Kevin Walters urged Maroons hierarchy to consider Selwyn Cobbo and Corey Jensen for Origin I.
Derby D-Day has arrived for a number of Titans and Broncos Origin hopefuls when the Queensland rivals do battle on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.
The Queensland team for Origin I is named Monday and it’s understood Fifita needs a barnstorming performance against the Broncos to seal his selection for the series opener in Sydney on Wednesday week.
Fifita started in the back row in all three Origin games last year, but the Titans forward is in danger of being dropped following Gold Coast’s dismal 2-8 start to the season.
That has opened the door for in-form Broncos duo Jensen and Cobbo, the latter of whom is being considered as a possible back utility off the bench if he fails to make the Maroons’ starting side.
Maroons selectors convene on Sunday night and they have some crucial decisions to make in the forward pack following injuries to Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (knee), Tom Gilbert (knee) and Tom Flegler (shoulder).
Queensland’s midfield depth is being tested and Walters believes the no-nonsense Jensen is ready to answer an injury SOS after an ultra-consistent start to the season as Payne Haas’ front-row partner at the Broncos.
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Jensen can submit an irresistible case for an Origin baptism by outpointing Titans and Maroons prop Mo Fotuaika in Sunday’s Broncos-Gold Coast derby at Suncorp Stadium.
“Corey has been really good for us,” Walters said of the prop nicknamed ‘Mudcrab’.
“‘Muddy’ has worked hard on his defence and shown some big improvements there.
“If Queensland need a front-rower, he won’t let anyone down and you will see that on Sunday with the way he gets through his work.
“He has been really good for us.”
Of Cobbo, Walters said: “Selwyn has been there before and he’s got size and speed for that Origin arena.
“We want our players like Selwyn to play rep football, it’s great for them and their careers and also what they bring back from Origin is invaluable as well.”
Fifita has had some promising moments this season but Maroons selectors are concerned about his lack of consistency.
It’s understood Cowboys co-captain Reuben Cotter could be moved to the edge to partner in-form Dragon Jaydn Su’A in the Queensland back row for Origin I.
Maroons hierarchy have discussed having a back on their bench, which could bring Cobbo into the frame following injuries to Kalyn Ponga and AJ Brimson, who shaped as interchange super subs.
Ben Hunt is tipped to start as Queensland hooker, a scenario that would see Harry Grant named on the bench, with the likes of Mo Fotuaika, Jeremiah Nanai, Jensen, Fifita and Cobbo jostling for interchange spots.
Meanwhile, Queensland coach Billy Slater breathed a sigh of relief after Valentine Holmes escaped suspension following a hip-drop drama on Friday night.
Holmes was sin-binned for a controversial hip-drop tackle on Tigers second-rower Isaiah Papali’i and there were fears the Cowboys centre could be rubbed out of Origin I on Wednesday week.
But the Queensland centre will be available for selection after Holmes was hit with a grade-one dangerous contact charge, meaning he will only be fined, not suspended by the NRL.
Holmes is expected to be named in the centres alongside Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, while Cowboys teammate Murray Taulagi and Melbourne’s Xavier Coates are frontrunners for Maroons wing spots.
MAM’S LAST CHANCE FOR ORIGIN DEBUT
Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam has 80 minutes to produce a miracle and steal Queensland’s No. 6 jersey from Cowboys rival Tom Dearden.
This masthead can confirm Dearden is the frontrunner to replace injured Maroons playmaker Cameron Munster (groin) for Wednesday week’s State of Origin series-opener in Sydney.
After starring on debut at Suncorp Stadium for Queensland in the 2022 decider, Dearden is in the box seat to get a second crack at the Origin arena, this time on enemy turf at Accor Stadium.
However Mam hasn’t been ruled out of contention and can present a final audition when the Broncos host the Titans at Suncorp on Sunday afternoon.
Mam, 21, proved he is a big game player when he blew last year’s grand final open with a sizzling hat-trick that should have delivered him the Clive Churchill Medal and Brisbane a drought-breaking premiership.
He needs a similar performance to pinch the Maroons No. 6 duties from Dearden and Queensland coach Billy Slater said he would be watching this weekend’s games intently.
“There’s a number of players who are doing a great job in and around that position,” he said.
“I don’t want to single anyone out, but everyone has a week of footy to play and another game to play. It’s important like it has been for the last 11 weeks to watch everyone and watch them closely. That won’t change again this weekend.
“We will sit down as selectors on Sunday night and pick the best team we can.
“Ezra is one of a number of players who are doing a great job in and around that position.
“There’s a number of players playing well in that position and they have a duty to their clubs this weekend.
“We will sit back and watch them and Queensland will have 17 fit and healthy players.”
Slater has a number of selection decisions to make due to the unavailability of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Tom Gilbert, Tom Flegler and Kalyn Ponga.
There is a battle in the back row between Dragons hit-man Jaydn Su’A and Broncos young gun Brendan Piakura while Parramatta’s J’Maine Hopgood is jostling for a debut with Brisbane prop Corey Jensen.
Dearden, 23, has been a shining light in an inconsistent Cowboys team this year and has runs on the board from his 2022 heroics, when he replaced an ill Munster on late notice.
Queensland legend Cameron Smith, the most experienced player in Origin history with 42 games, said he would select Dearden ahead of Mam given his history.
“It’s a race of two between Ezra Mam and Tommy Dearden,” he said on SENQ Breakfast.
“I think particularly for a game one, I’d go with a guy that’s performed there before and that’s Tommy Dearden, but there’s so many positives about Ezra Mam, don’t get me wrong.
“I love the way he plays, I love the high energy, high involvement style of footy that he plays but Tommy Dearden, although his team is bumbling their way through the competition at the moment, I think he’s been a standout for the Cowboys.
“He is one of the best competitors in this competition and I know Billy’s a huge fan of him.
“It shows a couple of years ago in the decider, Billy had no issues throwing him in. That’s just the way I would go.”
While Dearden’s selection seems a fait accompli, stranger things have happened and Mam is in the box seat to earn selection in an extended squad.
The Broncos have a bye next weekend which would allow Mam to spend the Game One build-up in Camp Maroon and learn the Queensland system, much like Dearden has done over the past two years.
Former Maroons coach Kevin Walters said Mam was ready for the Origin furnace.
“Ezra is a big show,” he said.
“All they can do is play well in the Broncos jumper and the representative stuff will look after itself.
“I’d like to see Ezra get an opportunity, but that’s not my decision, that’s Billy’s.
“When he plays well for us this week that will put him well and truly in the frame and in the picture for Origin.
“He just needs to get his defence right and start well and everything else will look after itself.”
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Originally published as State of Origin 2024: Crunch time for David Fifita, Ezra Mam needs a miracle to win Queensland No.6 jersey, likely Maroons team revealed
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