Legendary Queensland playmaker Darren Lockyer will captain a new-look Maroons team into their do-or-die Origin battle against the NSW Blues at Suncorp Stadium next week.

Lockyer's hurried inclusion heads four changes made by Maroon selectors heading into Origin II, none of which involve in-form Gold Coast playmaker Scott Prince.

Warriors prop Steve Price has been named after making a safe return from a hamstring injury in Round 11, while Titans utility Ashley Harrison and Broncos rookie Darius Boyd have also earned berths.

Centre Justin Hodges has pleaded guilty to a grade three dangerous throw charge and will miss both remaining Origin matches, while North Queensland enforcers Carl Webb and Jacob Lillyman - along with Brisbane hooker PJ Marsh - have been axed.

Brent Tate will slot into the centres to cover for Hodges, while Karmichael Hunt will revert to the bench to make way for Lockyer.

Boyd, 21, will play his first Origin game on the wing.

Queensland Team

1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd
3. Greg Inglis
4. Brent Tate
5. Israel Folau
6. Darren Lockyer (capt)
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Steve Price
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Michael Crocker
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Dallas Johnson

14. Karmichael Hunt
15. Ben Hannant
16. Nate Myles
17. Ashley Harrison.


Newcastle Knights Steve Simpson and Kurt Gidley have come into the NSW squad for State of Origin II, replacing injured prop Ben Cross and Dragons utility Ben Hornby.

Both Simpson and Gidley come onto the bench, with Craig Fitzgibbon shifting from the interchange into the front row in place of Newcastle’s Cross.

Gidley was expected to be named at halfback for the series opener before suffering a fractured cheekbone, while Simpson has spent the bulk of the season on the sidelines after picking up a nine-week injury in round 1.

Jarryd Hayne's place on the wing is in doubt with the Eels speedster set to face the judiciary over a dangerous throw charge, while Mark Gasnier still has to overcome a hamstring injury.

Canberra's Joel Monaghan is on standby for Gasnier, and could also find himself in the team if Hayne is suspended.

The full team
1. Brett Stewart (Sea Eagles)
2. Jarryd Hayne (Eels)
3. Mark Gasnier (Dragons)
4. Matt Cooper (Dragons)
5. Anthony Quinn (Storm)
6. Greg Bird (Sharks)
7. Peter Wallace (Broncos)
8. Brett White (Storm)
9. Danny Buderus (Knights)
10. Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters)
11. Ryan Hoffman (Storm)
12. Willie Mason (Roosters)
13. Paul Gallen (Sharks)

14. Anthony Laffranchi (Titans)
15. Anthony Tupou (Roosters)
16. Steve Simpson (Knights)
17. Kurt Gidley (Knights)

I understand that Bowen, Hunt and Slater are three of the best players ever, but only in a specialised position. QLD selectors obviously did not pay any attention to the past efforts of Hunt at five eight for the Broncos, their season fell apart without Lockyer as player maker and the outside options dried up. You cant not select any of the three, so if one has to play at five eight would it not make too much sense to put Bowen there, at least then he can play outside his Cowboys team mate, with whom at club level have a devastating combination. Good to see Tate back in form and a stunning first origin performance from Wallace. Dont get too ahead of yourself boys QLD love a good old fashion comeback story.

June 04, 2008

SHATTERED New South Wales winger Jarryd Hayne fears his State of Origin series is over after he failed to have a lifting tackle at the NRL judiciary downgraded and was rubbed out for three games.

The Parramatta star will now miss next week's Origin II clash at Suncorp Stadium where NSW are aiming to reclaim the series title for the first time since 2005.

Hayne will not be available to play again until after the teams are selected for the third game, giving him no chance to prove his worth for re-selection.

“It's pretty much the series gone for me,'' said a visibly upset Hayne afterwards.

“I won't get a game before game three. I just wish the boys good luck.''

Melbourne winger Steve Turner has now been called into the NSW squad to replace Hayne.

NSW coach Craig Bellamy has opted for Turner to join his 18-man squad in Sydney but won't decide on his final line-up until centre Mark Gasnier faces a fitness test on his injured hamstring later in the week.

Canberra's Joel Monaghan is another possibility and is currently in the Blues camp as cover for injured centre Mark Gasnier, while Penrith's Luke Lewis who was 18th man in Origin I could also fill the vacant wing spot.

It is a bitter blow to the 20-year-old Hayne who claimed his upending tackle on Brisbane's Tonie Carroll last Friday after the whistle only became dangerous because his teammates pulled out but he hadn't because he did not hear the whistle.

However his argument fell on deaf ears and not even his claims at being a rugby league “clean skin'' with an incident free record over 15 years of playing the game could help convince the panel to lower his grade two charge to one and escape suspension.

Hayne insisted he entered the tackle to lift the legs of Carroll, believing his three teammates grappling with the body would ensure the tackle did not end up dangerous.

However as the three Eels heard the whistle and stopped wrestling with Carroll, an oblivious Hayne continued, resulting in a dangerous lifting motion which slammed the Bronco forward onto his head.

“I did not hear the whistle whatsoever,'' said Hayne.

“I did not realise until the replay the whistle had gone and the boys had let him go.

“My head was down facing the ground so I had no vision of the other players.''

But while prosecutor Peter Kite accepted Hayne did not hear the whistle, he argued the Eels star was wrong to assume his teammates would prevent a dangerous tackle and should take full blame for such an ugly incident.

“Player Hayne is not allowed to adopt a strategy reliant on other people preventing a dangerous tackle, he has to prevent it,'' said Kite.

“Player Carroll was completely unsuspecting and therefore unable to defend himself in anyway.''

It took almost 45 minutes for them to decide to result but ultimately dealt Hayne a three-game suspension.

He is not the only Origin star to be rubbed out of the second game as Queensland's Justin Hodges accepted a six-week ban for an uglier lifting tackle on Mark Riddell in the same spiteful clash last Friday.

But while Hayne is out the news looks better for NSW's injured star centre Mark Gasnier who moved a step closer to his comeback from a hamstring injury by joining his Blues teammates for 20 minutes in session at a soaked Sydney Football Stadium.

Centre partner and fellow St George Illawarra star Matt Cooper insists Gasnier will be fit and firing at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.

“My gut feeling with Gaz is that I reckon he will be alright,'' said Cooper.

“He is a quick healer. I know every time he's gone out injured he's always come back a week early so I'm pretty confident he is going to be right.

“We just have to see how he pulls up in a couple of days.''

June 06, 2008

QUEENSLAND face a critical 24 hours with concerns growing over captain Darren Lockyer's fitness and selectors hauling luckless Gold Coast halfback Scott Prince into Origin camp.

Prince was initially called up as back-up for halfback Johnathan Thurston after he twinged his groin at training on Thursday.

Subsequent scans cleared Thurston of any serious injury.

However as the day of drama unfolded, it emerged Lockyer's reconstructed right knee was of more concern and that Prince was insurance for both halves who'll be medically assessed over the weekend.

While Thurston eased fitness concerns by completing the Maroons' 30 minute opposed session at Sanctuary Cove late today, Lockyer quit after 10 minutes to ice his right knee.

“It's all precautionary,” said Queensland coach Mal Meninga.

“JT (Thurston) had a twinge on Wednesday and we're making sure if anything does go wrong at the back end of the week, Scotty can come in.

“It's the same with Locky and we're making sure if he does pull out we can make the change without too much fuss.

“If everything falls over at the weekend at least we gave Scotty (Prince) a chance to train with the team.”

Earlier in the day Lockyer told a sponsor's lunch both he and Thurston expected to play.

“We both hope to play but we have to have plan B in place,” said Lockyer.

Bookmakers Sportingbet Australia suspended Origin betting and also pulled the market on the Titans-Storm clash on Monday with uncertainty over Prince.

“New South Wales could well run favourite, even up at Suncorp Stadium if that happened,” said Sportingbet's Bill Richmond.

“If Thurston comes out and Lockyer plays, the market doesn't really change as many would argue Scott Prince should be there in front of Thurston anyway.

“But if Lockyer comes out, the money will come for the Blues.”

One punter who put $30,000 on the Titans at $1.15 will be praying both Thurston and Lockyer play Origin.

While Queensland were grappling with the prospect of losing Lockyer, NSW were in high spirits after confirming centre Mark Gasnier, who starred in Origin I, had been cleared of a hamstring injury to play.

NSW coach Craig Bellamy finalised his side for next Wednesday's clash by naming Melbourne's Steve Turner on the wing in place of suspended Jarryd Hayne and releasing Joel Monaghan back to club side Canberra.

But while confidence continues to grow in the NSW camp, the under-siege Queenslanders are using the injury adversity to galvanise a side ahead of the must-win clash.

Thurston didn't speak to the media but his Origin roomie Karmichael Hunt was confident the champion halfback would play on Wednesday night.

“I know he had scans (on Wednesday),” said Hunt, psyched to play a utility role in several positions.

“He's my room mate and I was speaking to him this morning and he said he was fit to go. He'll have to nurse it so he doesn't do any further damage but I think he's right to play.”

Lockyer, who returned to action against Parramatta last week, took his first steps at training since entering Origin camp on Tuesday.

While the plan was always to ease him back into action, officials are concerned his recovery progress has not been as quick as hoped.

The next 48 hours will be crucial to Lockyer with Meninga unlikely to take a risk on a player's fitness for such a huge game - even if his name is Darren Lockyer.

“He is going to be the best judge in regards to whether he wants to play or not,” said Meninga.

“It will be his decision based on the pain.”

June 07, 2008

QUEENSLAND captain Darren Lockyer remains at long odds to play in next Wednesday's second State of Origin clash with New South Wales as he continues his battle with knee pain.

The champion five-eighth trained for just the first time on Friday since his NRL comeback eight days ago but lasted only 10 minutes in an opposed session on the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast half-back Scott Prince was called into camp on Friday as cover for the doubtful Lockyer, who also missed Origin I with his knee complaint.

The Maroons must decide by Sunday whether to keep Prince in camp and rule Lockyer out, or release the Gold Coast star for his club's Monday night clash with Melbourne and run the risk of him possibly being forced to back up for Origin 48 hours later.

Queensland assistant coach Neil Henry said Lockyer's fitness had not become any clearer overnight.

He said the 31-year-old remained in doubt to overcome the knee injury and help lead the Maroons in the must-win game at Suncorp Stadium.

"I think at this stage Darren is a 50-50 chance of playing," Henry told ABC radio.

"He is suffering from pain in his knee.

"He did about 10 to 12 minutes of the opposed session with the Queensland (under) 18s yesterday and came straight off to apply ice to his knee."

There had been some fears earlier in the week that Johnathan Thurston had torn a muscle in his groin, however the star half-back is back into training and is considered almost certain to play on Wednesday.

The Titans meanwhile remain unclear over whether Prince will be released for their crucial clash with Storm with betting suspended on the game until a decision is made.

Tweed Heads captain Brad Davis and former Sydney Roosters player Josh Lewis are both on standby for the Gold Coast with doubts also over five-eighth Mat Rogers.

June 08, 2008

Darren Lockyer refused to concede he had played his last representative match after another failed comeback attempt on his troublesome knee.

Lockyer rocked the Queensland camp by pulling out of Wednesday night's crucial second State of Origin against NSW with knee soreness.

Gold Coast's Scott Prince, initially overlooked for the two games, will play half-back while Australia No.7 Johnathan Thurston will wear the No.6 jumper.

It's a halves combination Queensland selectors doubted would work before Origin I, but one they've now been forced to pin their series hopes on.

"I trained this morning (Sunday) with the team and it's just not ready,” said a disappointed Lockyer, who has played 27 Origins since 1998.

"It's disappointing ... I can't change it. I'm just not up to 80 minutes of Origin at the moment."

Concerns are mounting that Lockyer may have jeopardised the rest of 2008 by pushing his comeback following a second bout of knee surgery last month.

Asked if he feared his knee issues could be career threatening, Lockyer said he needed to give his knee ample time to fully heal.

He virtually ruled himself out of next month's third Origin in Sydney, which would decide the series should Queensland win on Wednesday night, but remained optimistic about playing again this season.

"I have to be patient with it and let it heal," he said.

"Unless it heals completely, it's just going to go backwards again. I have to make sure I learn my lesson and give it plenty of time to recover."

The Broncos captain admitted the lure of playing in the Centenary Test earlier this year and also the second Origin, had forced him to "roll the dice" and come up empty on both occasions.

However he said neither the Broncos nor Queensland put pressure on him to play on Wednesday night, revealing Brisbane had advised him against playing last Friday night against Parramatta which has set him back again.

Lockyer had three tears in his cartilage stitched and sealed when he had his knee reconstructed last year. But the tiny tear in his articulate cartilage is causing him pain and needs prolonged rest.

While Lockyer will be a huge loss he said Prince would serve Queensland well and not carry any baggage into the match despite being controversially omitted in game one.

"When I knew I was in strife last Wednesday the coaching staff brought in Princey and he's got his head around the plays and our game plan and we haven't been disadvantaged in that regard," said Lockyer.

"He's been playing great all year. He's played Origin before and he knows what it's all about so I've got all the confidence in the world in Scott."

Prince played well in his only three previous Origin appearances in the 2004 series, which included being Queensland's player-of-the-match in his debut.

June 10, 2008

Wally Lewis has been named captain of Queensland's rugby league team of the century.

The 17-man team was revealed at a special black tie dinner in Brisbane as part of rugby league's 100 year celebrations.

Lewis was joined in Queensland's 17-man squad by Australian players of the century Mal Meninga, Noel Kelly, Duncan Hall and Arthur Beetson.

But Beetson was selected in the second-row with Toowoomba strongman Mick Madsen chosen to partner Hall in the front-row.

Darren Lockyer, the only active player in the NRL, was named at full-back.

Modern day wingers Michael Hancock, Wendell Sailor, Kerry Boustead and Dale Shearer were overlooked for Cecil Aynsley and Denis Flannery.

Aynsley was an electrifying speedster who played 22 games for Queensland in the 1920s while Flannery was a champion sprinter whose sweet sidestep and swerve often left opponents bamboozled during the 40s and 50s.

Up front the likes of Shane Webcke and Petero Civoniceva could not win a front-row spot ahead of Toowoomba's feared Mick Madsen.

Madsen played 40 games for Queensland during the 1920s.

He forced another Toowoomba hardman Herb Steinohrt, who played 42 games for Queensland, onto the bench along with Jimmy Craig, Duncan Thompson and Gene Miles.

Bob Linder won a hotly contested battle for lock while champion No.7 Allan Langer was a unanimous choice at half-back.

Six-time premiership winner Wayne Bennett was named coach.

Queensland's Team of the Century
Darren Lockyer, Cecil Aynsley, Tom Gorman, Mal Meninga, Denis Flannery, Wally Lewis (c), Allan Langer, Mick Madsen, Noel Kelly, Duncan Hall, Brian Davies, Arthur Beetson, Bob Lindner. Res: Jim Craig, Duncan Thompson, Gene Miles, Herb Steinohrt. Coach: Wayne Bennett.

June 11, 2008

QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga described it as 80 minutes of rugby league perfection.

For centre Greg Inglis it was 80 minutes of redemption as the Maroons sent this year's Origin series to a decider with a 30-0 annihilation of New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium.

Embarrassed in game I, Inglis turned it on with a performance which will go down in Origin folklore, his brutal left hand fend shutting the Blues out of the contest and keeping alive Queensland's bid for a hattrick of series wins.

Written off before the match, the Maroons turned up with a purpose not seen in game one, while the Blues were never in the contest.

It left them in need of a stunning revival in game three at ANZ Stadium on July 2 after they became just the second NSW side after the 1995 outfit to be shut-out in an Origin contest.

The winning margin equalled the Maroons best ever, while five-eighth Johnathan Thurston burst out of a slump and equalled Meninga's Queensland record of seven goals from as many attempts.

But the night was about Inglis and his lucky beneficiary Darius Boys, who scored two tries on debut as his inside man embarrassed NSW centre Mark Gasnier in a table turning effort from game one.

“We struggled as a team to get the ball to him (in game I),” skipper Cameron Smith said.

“But I thought our forwards got away to a good start and Greg saw more open spaces and showed what he could do.”

Asked about the turnaround from game I, Meninga said it was all in the head.

“Attitude, mentally we were right to go,” he said.

“We had a fantastic week with the team, I was disappointed with our effort after Origin I, but we responded well to the criticism and came up with a fantastic performance.

“It was near the perfect footy game.”

Inglis waited just seven minutes to make up for his game one shocker, with Gasnier the victim of a fend which left him lying hapless on the turf. But it had nothing on the facial Inglis delivered Blues debutant Steve Turner before passing for Boyd's memorable moment.

Boyd must have been thinking all his Christmas had come at once with Inglis again doing all the work for the Broncos youngster's double inside 20 minutes.

“It was good, Gaz got one on me and I got one on him and we take it down to game III now,” man of the match Inglis said.

“It's quite difficult winning down there, we've only won one game down there the past few years, hopefully we can keep our performance up and take it on to the next one.”

Watching Inglis at close range in the NRL every week, Blues coach Craig Bellamy said he knew it was coming.

“It was probably the best game of the year from him, but he didn't need to do it (here),” Bellamy said.

“He's never far from one of those performances every time he takes the field. That showed the talent he's got.”

Boyd almost had three inside half an hour thanks to Inglis only for a Brett Stewart cover tackle to bring the movement to an end, a penalty goal to Thurston and another two either side of the break make it a comfortable 18-0 lead.

NSW had nothing in reply, the Peter Wallace-Greg Bird halves combination ineffective behind a badly beaten pack.

Bellamy's claim that the Maroons were wasting their breath 'whinging' about referee Tony Archer's game I performance came back to haunt him, Queensland receiving a penalty on just the third tackle of the game.

After blowing just six penalties in the series opener, Archer whistled 16 in Brisbane, including nine for the Maroons who loved the up-tempo style.

Asked if it was a case of the squeaky wheel getting the oil, Bellamy said: “They got a lot of oil. There were different interpretations, but Queensland were too good on the night.”

It turned into party mode over the final 20 minutes with Ben Hannant and then Israel Folau crossing for tries as Thurston made it a perfect seven from seven with the boot.

cmon qld, win the 3rd game so i can collect

June 15, 2008

PARRAMATTA half-back Brett Finch thrust his name into Origin III reckoning and the Eels into the NRL top eight with a scintillating performance in the 44-6 demolition of Wests Tigers.

Finch and halves partner Feleti Mateo toyed with a Tigers side pummeled into submission by a powerful Eels pack, former Blues No.7 Finch giving NSW selectors plenty of food for thought as they look to rebuild a side demolished by the Maroons in Origin II.

With NSW half-back Peter Wallace no certainty to be fit for the Origin decider on July 2 after undergoing minor groin surgery last week, Finch picked the perfect time to find his best form, playing a leading role in five of the Eels' eight tries at ANZ Stadium.

NSW bench utility Kurt Gidley, who was set to be handed the half-back role ahead of game one before injury struck on selection eve, would also come into calculations if Wallace was ruled out.

But Finch, who has played three matches for NSW with the last being in 2006, made sure his name was in the selectors' thoughts.

“He's been really good for a number of weeks, but I thought today was the most patient and composed the team's been and he was a big reason for that,'' Parramatta coach Michael Hagan said.

“I thought he and Feleti were really in control in our attack.''

It's a pity Mateo isn't eligible to join Finch in the sky blue after continuing his recent purple patch of form with another man of the match display.

Mateo can't play for NSW after declaring his allegiances to Tonga.

The 24-year-old, who has played two Tests, had until the May 8 Rugby League International Federation meeting to seek permission to play for NSW and Australia, something he had said he was keen to do after representing City Origin earlier this year.

By not seeking a switch, he remains eligible for Tonga and lost to NSW for at least this year's series.

“His management was informed a week before the deadline that they needed to seek permission to change (allegiances),'' ARL chief executive Geoff Carr confirmed.

“We made sure we told them, so there was no mix-up.''

Mateo would have come into the mix for a spot on the bench had Gidley been thrown into the starting line-up, and there is no doubt his stunning ball skills would be handy for a NSW held scoreless in Brisbane.

But NSW selector Laurie Daley today said mass changes for game three were unlikely, despite the game two result.

“As a selection group we haven't met yet and we haven't discussed the outcome of Wednesday night's performance,'' Daley said.

“We're all very disappointed with how it turned out, I don't think anyone expected 30 points to be put on NSW and us delivering nothing.

“I think one thing which has worked in Queensland's favour over the years have been when NSW has lost we've made wholesale changes.

“I'm not all for making a lot of changes.''