Tuqiri back in Origin picture after just one game

Selectors’ chairman Des Morris believes Lote Tuqiri’s eye-catching NRL comeback for the Wests Tigers would have left Queensland coach Mal Meninga feeling all “warm and fuzzy”.

Tuqiri turned back the clock with some trademark runs in his first rugby league game since switching codes in 2003 in a comeback that suggested he could be a State of Origin contender.

“His return was pretty eye-catching,” Morris told AAP after watching the highlights of the Tigers comeback win over Manly on Monday night.

“That will make Mal all warm and fuzzy I would think.

“It’s great to have him back in our game.

“It definitely adds another string to our bow and helps our depth.”

Queensland will be lining up for a record fifth successive series win this year but Morris warned the Blues would be “fired up” after hitting back to win the third game last year.

Tuqiri’s return however is timely with Test centre Justin Hodges likely to miss the entire Origin series after surgery on his snapped Achilles.

NSW went for size out wide last year selecting the likes of of Josh Morris and Jarryd Hayne and Meninga could switch Israel Folau into the centres should Tuqiri recapture the form that saw him play in the 2002 series before joining the rugby union ranks.

Meninga will also make changes to his pack with tackling demon Dallas Johnson, now playing overseas.

Brisbane backrower Corey Parker got his Origin application in early with 54 tackles against the Cowboys to open his season impressively.

“We’ll have to see what happens when the time comes but we’re getting some genuine depth in our ranks and Lote coming back is an added bonus to us,” said Morris.

“Corey (Parker) has played three Origins for us and in the latter part of last year he started to get more involved and he seems to have settled into that role a lot better.

“One would expect if he kept that form up he could be a real chance of playing Origin again.”

Tuqiri, whose 145 metres gained was the best by any player and combined with two line breaks and six tackles, was rapt in his comeback game describing it as a “dream return” to league.

But he admitted to making a gaff after half time, chipping ahead on the third tackle only to realise he wasn’t playing the “other” game.

“I chipped ahead on the third tackle and remember thinking `what am I doing’ knowing any of my Waratah team mates in the stands would have been laughing their heads off,” he said.

Tuqiri experienced mixed emotions leading up to the game, a talk to coach Tim Sheens just before taking the field calming him down.

“I was stuffed just doing the warm-up,” laughed the 104kg Fijian born Tuqiri.

“I’d felt nerves and excited all day.

“But the coach (Sheens) said not to put pressure on myself and it was good advice.”

Teams named for round two of the NRL:/strong>

FRIDAY
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v CANTERBURY at WIN Stadium, 7.35pm
DRAGONS: Darius Boyd, Brett Morris, Beau Scott, Nick Emmett, Jason Nightingale, Jamie Soward, Ben Hornby (capt), Matt Prior, Luke Priddis, Michael Weyman, Jeremy Smith, Ben Creagh, Dean Young. Interchange: Jon Green, Trent Merrin, Dan Hunt, Jarrod Saffy

BULLDOGS: Luke Patten, Steve Turner, Josh Morris, Jamal Idris, Bryson Goodwin, Ben Roberts, Brett Kimmorley, Ben Hannant, Blake Green, Michael Hodgson, Yileen Gordon, Andrew Ryan (capt), David Stagg. Interchange: Mickey Paea, Gary Warburton, Jarrad Hickey, Ben Barba

Referees: Tony Archer, Matt Cecchin

SOUTH SYDNEY v GOLD COAST at ANZ Stadium, 8:35pm
SOUTHS: Rhys Wesser, Nathan Merritt, Junior Vaivai, Beau Champion, Fetuli Talanoa, John Sutton, Chris Sandow, Luke Stuart, Issac Luke, Roy Asotasi (capt), David Taylor, Sam Burgess, Ben Lowe. Interchange: Scott Geddes, Shannan McPherson, David Tyrell, Jason Clark

TITANS: Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Mat Rogers, Joseph Tomane, David Mead, Greg Bird, Scott Prince (capt), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Brad Meyers, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Matthew White, Sam Tagataese, Bodene Thompson, Riley Brown, Will Matthews (one to be omitted)

Referees: Ashley Klein, Tony De Las Heras

SATURDAY
WARRIORS v CRONULLA at Mt Smart Stadium, 5:30pm
WARRIORS: Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Brett Seymour, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Simon Mannering (capt), Micheal Luck. Interchange: Wade McKinnon, Jeremy Latimore, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino, Joel Moon (one to be omitted)

SHARKS: Nathan Stapleton, Isaac Gordon, Ben Pomeroy, Blake Ferguson, Luke Covell, Trent Barrett (capt), Scott Porter, Kade Snowden, John Morris, Luke Douglas, Grant Millington, Anthony Tupou, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Adam Cuthbertson, Josh Cordoba, Albert Kelly, Paul Aiton, Broderick Wright (one to be omitted)

Referees: Jason Robinson, Bernard Sutton

NEWCASTLE v MELBOURNE at EnergyAustralia Stadium at 7:30pm
KNIGHTS: Shannon McDonnell, Akuila Uate, Wes Naiqama, Adam MacDougall, Cooper Vuna, Jarrod Mullen, Scott Dureau, Ben Cross, Matt Hilder, Evarn Tuimavave, Steve Simpson (capt), Cory Paterson, Mark Taufua. Interchange: Isaac De Gois, Daniel Tolar, Richard Fa’aoso, Zeb Taia, Cameron Ciraldo (one to be omitted)

STORM: Billy Slater, Luke MacDougall, Dane Nielsen, Greg Inglis, Anthony Quinn, Brett Finch, Cameron Smith (capt), Aiden Tolman, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Jeff Lima, Adam Blair, Kevin Proctor, Todd Lowrie. Interchange: Rory Kostjasyn, Ryan Tandy, Hep Cahill, Jesse Bromwich

Referees: Steve Lyons, Alan Shortall

NORTH QUEENSLAND v PENRITH at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 9:30pm
COWBOYS: Ty Williams, John Williams, Ashley Graham, Willie Tonga, Michael Bani, Grant Rovelli, Johnathan Thurston (capt), Matthew Scott, Aaron Payne, Antonio Kaufusi, Scott Bolton, Steve Southern, Luke O’Donnell. Interchange: Anthony Watts, Steve Rapira, Willie Mason, Manase Manuokafoa, Carl Webb, James Tamou (two to be omitted)

PANTHERS: Lachlan Coote, Michael Gordon, Michael Jennings, Adrian Purtell, Shane Elford, Travis Burns, Luke Walsh, Tim Grant, Kevin Kingston, Petero Civoniceva (capt), Frank Pritchard, Trent Waterhouse, Luke Lewis. Interchange: Joseph Paulo, Nathan Smith, Matthew Bell, Sam McKendry, Ryan Walker, Nigel Plum, Frank Puletua (three to be omitted).

Referees: Ben Cummins, Chris James

SUNDAY
PARRAMATTA v MANLY at Parramatta Stadium, 2pm
EELS: Jarryd Hayne, Luke Burt, Joel Reddy, Timana Tahu, Eric Grothe, Daniel Mortimer, Jeff Robson, Nathan Cayless (capt), Matt Keating, Justin Poore, Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Smith, Feleti Mateo. Interchange: Kris Keating, Tim Mannah, Brendan Oake, Fuifui Moimoi, Krisnan Inu (one to be omitted).

SEA EAGLES: Michael Robertson, Tony Williams, Chris Bailey, Steve Matai, Ben Farrar, Jamie Lyon (capt), Kieran Foran, Jason King (capt), Matt Ballin, Josh Perry, Anthony Watmough, Shane Rodney, Glenn Stewart. Interchange: Terence Seu Seu, Brent Kite, George Rose, Matt Cross, Joe Galuvao (one to be omitted)

Referees: Shayne Hayne, Brett Suttor

SYDNEY ROOSTERS v WESTS TIGERS at Sydney Football Stadium, 3pm
ROOSTERS: Todd Carney, Anthony Minichiello, Phil Graham, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Sam Perrett, Braith Anasta (capt), Mitchell Pearce, Lopini Paea, James Aubusson, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Aidan Guerra, Mitchell Aubusson, Nate Myles. Interchange: Daniel Conn, Jason Ryles, Brad Takairangi, Nick Kouparitsas, Ben Jones, Sonny Tuigamala, Joseph Leilua (three to be omitted)

TIGERS: Tim Moltzen, Lote Tuqiri, Blake Ayshford, Chris Lawrence, Beau Ryan, Benji Marshall, Robert Lui, Bryce Gibbs, Robbie Farah (capt), Keith Galloway, Liam Fulton, Gareth Ellis, Chris Heighington. Interchange: Jason Cayless, Junior Moors, Mark Flanagan, Daniel Fitzhenry

Referees: Jared Maxwell, Gerard Sutton

MONDAY
CANBERRA v BRISBANE at Canberra Stadium, 7pm
RAIDERS: Josh Dugan, Reece Robinson, Jarrod Croker, Joel Thompson, Daniel Vidot, Terry Campese, Marc Herbert, David Shillington, Alan Tongue (capt), Scott Logan, Joe Picker, Bronson Harrison, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Travis Waddell, Trevor Thurling, Troy Thompson, Dane Tilse, Josh McCrone, James Stuart (two to be omitted)

BRONCOS: Corey Norman, Antonio Winterstein, Gerard Beale, Israel Folau, Denan Kemp, Darren Lockyer (capt), Peter Wallace, Nick Kenny, Andrew McCullough, Scott Anderson, Ben Te’o, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Interchange: Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Mitchell Dodds, Josh McGuire, Lagi Setu (one to be omitted)

Referees: Gavin Badger, Phil Haines