Maroons facing rare selection dilemma for Origin I

May 16, 2023 9:59 am.by Wayne Heming

Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga — Kalyn Ponga’s Origin experience could give him the nod over Reece Walsh for the fullback role. (Picture: QRL.com.au)

Only 15 days out from the opening State of Origin game in Adelaide, Queensland finds itself in an unusual position.

While NSW is split over whether Manly star Tom Trbojevic is 100 per cent right to take a centre spot, Maroons selectors are trying to decide who to leave out of a few key positions.

Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga closed the gap on, and probably leapt ahead of, Brisbane young gun Reece Walsh for the Queensland fullback job with a great second half against the Titans in the NRL at the weekend.

While Walsh was electric at times with the ball in his hand against Melbourne last Thursday night, he still has a few errors in his game that could be costly in the Origin arena, where every mistake is punished.

Coach Billy Slater knows what Ponga offers at Origin level, and the Knights star produced his best display for Queensland in last year’s series decider, which will also weigh heavily in his favour.

READ: Could Maroons leave red-hot Walsh out of Origin I?

A tougher headache for Queensland is deciding on the centre and wing combinations.

Valentine Holmes is a walk-up for one centre spot having scored 86 points in his 13 appearances in maroon.

Newcastle veteran Dane Gagai is in line for his 22nd Origin, but there is speculation he could be replaced by the flying Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow or shifted onto the wing with Selwyn Cobbo on the other side.

Melbourne winger Xavier Coates is in the mix along with Cowboy Murray Taulagi.

But in Origin, so much depends on a team’s back three to get them on the front foot, which is so vital to the outcome.

“We have got a couple of tough decisions to make before we name the team next Monday,” said Queensland’s chairman of selectors, Gene Miles.

“Billy is on a record as saying he wanted to see Kalyn back playing with a smile on his face and he got that at the weekend.”

The selection panel — consisting of Miles, Slater and fellow Queensland great Darren Lockyer — will finalise the 17-man squad after the round 12 clash between Manly and Canberra next Sunday but will not announce it until the following day.

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