Corey Parker: My Queensland and NSW State of Origin teams for 2022 series opener

There’ll likely be an injection of youth.

And picking guys for Origin isn’t necessarily about them having the big, flashy plays. You just need players who are built for the arena.

Queensland have lacked that a bit over the past few years.

But especially given the improved fortunes of the Broncos and Cowboys, with four and five wins on the trot respectively, this should be a genuinely close series. Origin typically is, even if one state is on a winning streak.

The Queensland team I’ve named below, I’d have no worries matching it with the NSW side I’ve picked. Both teams are very even. You’re splitting hairs on which state has an edge in each position.

The teams are stacked with great match-ups – so here they are.

Queensland

Kalyn Ponga will retain the fullback spot, I believe. While his NRL performances haven’t been great, his effort areas are still where they need to be and that’s a big thing for Billy.

Xavier Coates has taken his game to another level at Melbourne, as we all expected, and should be one winger. My other pick would be Selwyn Cobbo. I absolutely love what he can do.

I love all the flashiness and excitement, but when you’re a winger in Origin, 90 per cent of your job is coming out of the back field with a hard carry. The mongrel that Selwyn has shown, on top of the speed and skill, is terrific. His ability to work and come up with those really tough carries … not everyone has in them but he certainly does.

That should earn him a debut, despite being so young; turning 20 in the week of Origin I. I see it as a great opportunity, both for him and the Maroons, putting him in the side.

Dane Gagai is an out-and-out Origin player, proving himself time and again, so he’s one centre. Valentine Holmes would be my other, he’s playing good football there at the moment and has plenty of big-game experience.

Cameron Munster is your No.6. He’s in absolutely outstanding form; borderline ridiculous. He’s one of the form players in the competition. Daly Cherry-Evans remains Maroons captain and No.7.

I’d keep Josh Papalii as one prop and also start Tino Fa’asuamaleaui in the front-row. Both players have the genuine aggression you want in the early stages of an Origin match, plus they have the ability to play long minutes.

Harry Grant is the hooker and should fill the Maroons No.9 jersey for a long time.

Felise Kaufusi, for mine, is a real Origin player. You pick him and know exactly what you’re going to get; aggressive, strong defender, never shirks hard work. I think they’ll go with Kurt Capewell for the other edge back-row spot. I tossed and turned on this one a bit but he’s a versatile player who has never let down the Queensland jersey.

I have Pat Carrigan at lock, also for an Origin debut. He’s a bigger body who can play really long minutes and he’s in great form for Brisbane, as well as he’s ever played.

The bench was tough; there’s plenty to choose from. Jaydn Su’A, Mo Fotuaika, Jeremiah Nanai, Beau Fermor and Reece Walsh are all guys who should be in contention for an extended squad, then there’s also real talents like Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and AJ Brimson. Fermor is a squad smoky, for mine; an extremely hard worker who does his job to a high standard every week, with no fanfare.

I’d have Ben Hunt as the bench utility; he always plays well for the Maroons. I’d have Jai Arrow as one forward and would happily go either Tom Flegler or Lindsay Collins for another spot; flip a coin.

And I’d give Reuben Cotter a spot in the 17, on debut. He deserves it.

Talk about guys who have Origin plays and characteristics in them – Cotter’s got that. One hundred per cent. He’s a ferocious, hard-working competitor. While you might look at him and go, ‘Well, he’s a bit lighter’, I don’t care. You see him put his body on the line for everything week-in-week-out in the NRL, plus he gives you even more cover at hooker.

One player I couldn’t pick currently: David Fifita.

While he’s coming back from injury, I just haven’t seen enough from him. We know what Fifita can do at his best: special things that other players can’t. Right now, he isn’t to the standard required to play in a Queensland jersey.

MY MAROONS TEAM: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Selwyn Cobbo* 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Dane Gagai 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Josh Papalii 9. Harry Grant 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Pat Carrigan* Bench: 14. Ben Hunt 15. Reuben Cotter* 16. Jai Arrow 17. Tom Flegler/Lindsay Collins (*debut)

NSW

I can’t see much change from last year’s winning team. As Queensland have always done, the Blues have mostly stuck with the players who’ve delivered them success in the past few years.

James Tedesco will be the fullback, as Brad Fittler’s already said to quell speculation about Tom Trbojevic getting a shot at No.1.

Brian To’o and Josh Addo-Carr would be my wingers again, each with the ability to play either side. Turbo stays at right centre, with the licence to roam he’s used so effectively.

With Latrell Mitchell out, NSW could happily pick either Kotoni Staggs or Stephen Crichton for a debut on form, though I reckon Crichton may get the nod at left centre. That would allow NSW to field a strong Penrith combination on the left edge: Jarome Luai at five-eighth, feeding Crichton and To’o.

Luai keeps the No.6 jersey. Nathan Cleary is a no-brainer at halfback and you’ve also got Isaah Yeo as a ball-playing lock.

I’m sure NSW will retain Damien Cook at hooker, given he’s done the job and they’ve won series with him, but I wouldn’t discount Api Koroisau. His creativity is exceptional and again, there’s that huge Penrith combination throughout the team. He could certainly be the No.9.

Payne Haas is wasted coming off the bench, so I’d start him in the front-row alongside Junior Paulo. Daniel Saifiti, a regular of the past few years, doesn’t warrant a NSW jumper on form.

Cameron Murray is definitely one of the edge back-rowers if fit but may well miss out due to his neck injury; in which case I’d have Liam Martin, another Panther, starting on the right edge. Tariq Sims is a head-scratcher, given that his form isn’t great but he was one of the Blues’ better players last year on the left edge. He was terrific and I don’t think he’s played poorly enough this season not to be picked for Origin, given what he did in 2021.

On form, Nicho Hynes would be the bench utility I’d pick above their regular of the past few years, Jack Wighton. Hynes would be on debut and he’s shown that he offers great versatility, covering fullback, centre and the halves.

Siosifa Talakai looks another good option off the bench on debut. I like him because he can play centre and back-row, even middle, plus he’s in form and he’s bloody hard to handle.

They need a big bopper and one of those I reckon is going really well is Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who has been in the Origin arena before and deserves another crack.

Angus Crichton has been in the side for a few years and while I’m not sold on his form this season, he’s been there before and can play as both an edge and middle forward; plus he performed pretty well for the Roosters in Magic Round. He’s not going to let them down and being versatile edges him ahead of guys like Dale Finucane and Jake Trbojevic, who only play middle. Versatility is more important than ever in the HIA era.

MY BLUES TEAM: 1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Stephen Crichton* 4. Tom Trbojevic 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Payne Haas 9. Damien Cook 10. Junior Paulo 11. Tariq Sims 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo Bench: 14. Nicho Hynes* 15. Siosifa Talakai* 16. Angus Crichton 17. Reagan Campbell-Gillard (*debut)

True Origin players

It’s one of those things that’s always discussed at this time of year: what makes an Origin player?

Origin, simply, is about f--king competing. About never giving up, no matter what. When your arse is completely hanging out but a play needs to be made, you just do it.

Origin games are won and lost on moments. When your moment comes, you need to be willing and able to take it.

Individual brilliance, sure. The best Australian players in the game are all on one field.

But it’s more than that.

Take Liam Martin. Is he the best back-rower going around? No, he’s not. Is he an Origin player? Absolutely.

He has a desire to compete. He wants to hurt you every time he tackles. He runs with strong intent.

Those are the ingredients for Origin.

Cameron Murray has a touch more class about him but at the core, he’s the same. Competes on absolutely everything, all game, every game.

Dane Gagai is a current one for the Maroons who just has it in his DNA to play Origin as it’s meant to be played. People still joke that he should put a Queensland jersey under his NRL jumper.

And one from my era? Nate Myles springs straight to mind.

If you looked at club form, with due respect to Nate, there were times that he wouldn’t have gotten a Queensland spot. But when he pulled on that Maroon jersey, you just wanted to be alongside him.

Some people, the Queensland jumper just does special things to them.

But as I’ve discussed in this column previously, Queensland no longer has a mortgage on that magical quality and if anything, have lacked it themselves in recent series. They’ve lacked that clarity about why they’re playing and what they’re prepared to do to win for their state.

Now it’s up to them, led by one of their greatest ever players in Billy Slater, to again perform like the Maroons we love so much.

Slater, Smith, Lockyer, Thurston, Cronk – they were all champion players, but what made them great Maroons is that they competed in every moment of every game like the pride of Queensland depended on it. And they were selfless – megastars, yet didn’t care one bit who got the big stats or accolades, as long as we won.

That’s Origin.