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Hulking Sydney Roosters prop Martin Kennedy can further prise open Queensland’s State of Origin door with a dominating performance against defending premiers Melbourne at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
It’s believed Kennedy’s recent efforts, as the Roosters have muscled their way into second place on the NRL ladder behind South Sydney, have convinced Maroons selectors he is up to an Origin call-up.
His performance against the Storm this weekend could clinch him an Origin debut with Queensland’s forward make-up set to undergo changes following the retirement of record-serving prop, Petero Civoniceva.
At a corporate dinner at Suncorp Stadium on Monday night, selectors will reveal their 17-man squad to challenge for an eighth straight series win, starting with game one on June 5 in Sydney.
It means the likes of the 122kg Kennedy, Canberra prop Dave Shillington, Warriors hard man Jacob Lillyman and utility prospects Ben Barba and Daly Cherry-Evans have one last roll of the Origin dice this weekend.
Kennedy and Lillyman are believed to be vying for a possible Origin bench jumper, while another big game from Shillington on top of his strong return from injury last weekend against Cronulla could result in him breaking into coach Mal Meninga’s starting pack.
The NRL judiciary on Wednesday night is likely to save selectors making a call on Gold Coast forward Dave Taylor facing a possible three-week suspension for a grade-two high tackle on Brisbane halfback Peter Wallace last weekend.
Meanwhile, the involvement in Origin of South Sydney forward Ben Te’o was up in the air following assault allegations levelled against him by a Brisbane woman on Wednesday.
Te’o strenuously denied the claims in a statement released by his South Sydney club on his behalf.
Queensland selectors declined to comment on the impact the allegations might have on his Origin claims.
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