Pick your Queensland Maroons team for State of Origin Game 1

I think you are pretty near spot on with that team Brad with the exception of O'Neill. I think Gagai will get the nod based on the been there, done that philosophy. The Knights being bottom might hurt his chances but he has been playing well in an ordinary team and is proven at Origin level.

Never mind the centre combo of Oates and Boyd, three players on the banned list (Napa, Hunt and Milford) being named and having a spare hooker on the bench just in case Cam smith can't handle 80 minutes. Why bother even posting such rubbish?

1. Darius Boyd 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Justin O'neil 4. Greg Inglis 5. Corey Oates 6. Jonathan Thurston 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Matt Scott 9. Cameron Smith 10. Nate Myles 11. Matt Gillett 12. Gavin Cooper 13. Corey Parker 14. Michael Morgan 15. Sam Thaiday 16. Josh Papalli 17. Aiden Guerra

JT on the bench, what are you thinking, Ben hunt is definetly not Origin Standard and where is Morgan.

Plus, I imagine the blame for that loss could easily be shifted onto those dudes who decided to play up...rather than be directed against Kevvie. Walters doesn't really have a choice from here on in, if he's to have any credibility as a coach and selector.

Gavin Cooper.. Enough said.

Then you have no insight into Kevvie Walters and/or the pride in the Qld Jersey that is expected from the players. In other words....no chance.

Chuck may well be heir apparent but he still doesn't get any "game time" as King until his mum abdicates or passes. Plus, unfortunately for him, the option behind him (William) is preferred by many over his own ascension. Its not like a selection panel determines who lines up either. The more kids William and Kate have then the further back Harry goes. Same with QLD hookers. No one gets a go until Smith is unwilling or unable to play. Then we look at the lineup behind him. At least we choose who follows as opposed to the royals... And, unless they are a really special player, you wouldn't carry a second hooker into Origin to "give experience" over having a Morgan, Milford, Hunt type on the bench. 2 years ago DCE was probably next in line for a halfback role. Now he is probably 5th after Morgan, Hunt, Milford and Mbye (in any order.)

Don, the fact you can list off four names at hooker and the QLD hierarchy hasn't shown favour to any of them at this stage says that there is no heir apparent... the term is a singular for the next person in line (for example, Prince Charles is the heir apparent to the British throne). As for lock, Oates has never played in the middle of the pitch in a first grade game, as I understand it even in juniors he played in the second row rather than the middle third. Longer term I suspect Lloyd Perrett might be the choice.

McQueen's stocks definitely went up after he ran around Guerra to score, both from a standing start.

No heir apparent at Hooker? Really? Jake Friend, Jake Granville, James Segeyaro, Andrew McCulloch for starters. Lock; Corey Oates is ready made when Bennett finally moves him into the pack. He has been a forward his whole playing life until 3 years ago when Hook used him to fill in at centre and wing. Then you've got Ethan Lowe, Guerra, McQueen, Chris Grevsmuhl, Gillett (who I think is over rated) and you'll see a young guy coming through the Broncos named Jai Arrow who is a ripper.

1 Greg Inglis 2 Justin O"Neil 3 Darius Boyd 4 Corey Oates 5 Dane Gagai 6 Anthony Milford 7 Ben Hunt 8 Dylan Napa 9 Cameron Smith 10 Josh McGuire 11 Matt Gillett 12 Aodan Guerra 13 Corey Parker 14 Jake Friend 15 Ethan Lowe 16 Gavin Cooper 17 Jonathan Thurston

I have a feeling the ban will be lifted if Qld lose game #1

I'll go left field a liitle as I want us to not sacrifice our attack but keep the defence in the line solid, so. ( I am not selecting suspended players.) Much tougher to pick the forwards than the backs for me. 1. Barba 2. Oates 3. Inglis 4. Gagai 5. Boyd 6. Thurston 7. Cronk 8. Scott 9. Smith 10. McGuire 11. Gillett 12. Papalii 13. Parker 14. Morgan 15. Lowe 16. Myles 17. Guerra

Not really interested in trying to pick a 17, but a couple of musings... Could the lack of outside backs warrant Michael Morgan playing at right centre and another player getting a run on the bench, given the injury/banned list of back up players in the three areas that would usually occupy that bench position (hooker, halves, or lock) it seems unlikely but worth a thought. Is it actually possible to replace Nate Myles and Jacob Lillyman at prop (bench or otherwise), there aren't a lot of spare props to go around and a few of the better options are banned right now and both are in mediocre form -- while the Maroons have made do with some players better suited to the edges as makeshift props, there seemed to be a preference to having 4 specialist props in the team last year (until McGuire was injured when Papalii slotted in) and replicating that might be banking on form improving in rep fixtures which Myles at least has traditionally done.

FB: Folau (if Daly can talk up hayne playing for the blues in the near term - then qld should take off the gloves get oiled up and wrestle the pigs all day long) Wingers: Boyd, Oates Centres: Inglis, Morgan Halves : 6. Milford (again see gloves off) , 7. JT Frow: Scott, Smith, McGuire Brow: Guerra, Gillett, Parker 14. Hunt (again see above) 15. Napa (again) 16. Papa 17. Lillyman/Cooper

From the above choices, it seems that the hooker and lock is the position that QLD should probably be looking at blooding soon, smith and parker are getting a bit on and there doesn't seem to a be an heir apparent in their spots.

My side would be the same as yours Patrick (good to see someone spelling names correctly, WTF Isaac??) EXCEPT, as much as it pains me to say this, I would drop Nate Myles in favour of the infinitely in better form Gavin Cooper or Ethan Lowe with a leaning towards Lowe being best part of a decade younger than Cooper. Wouldn't surprise me if the Qld selectors stick to their loyalty program and pick old lightbulb head on past deeds and not present form. Bolter: born-again former Origin player Chris McQueen

Boyd Oates Gagai Inglis Feldt Thurston Cronk Scott Smith McGuire Gillett Papalii Parker Guerra Morgan Myles Thaiday

1. boyd 2. oates 3. inglish 4. gagai 5. feldt 6. thursthan 7. cronk 8. scott 9.smith 10.mylse 11. guera 12. thaiday 13. parker 14. morgan 15. McGuire 16. gillet 17.papali