Morgan named in Emerging Origin squad

Young Toyota Cowboy Michael Morgan has been recognised as one of the brightest prospects in Queensland rugby league with selection in the 2013 Queensland (QAS) Emerging Origin squad.

The 14-man squad, which assembles in Brisbane for a three-day camp next month, will work with QAS rugby league director Wayne Bennett and current XXXX Maroons coach Mal Meninga.

The camp will feature five newcomers to the QAS Emerging Origin program, a key component of the Maroons’ recent Origin success.

The fresh faces are Morgan, Edrick Lee (Canberra Raiders), Ben Ridge (Gold Coast Titans), Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters) and Josh Papalli (Canberra Raiders).

They will train alongside Dally M Medal winner Ben Barba, who returns for another QAS camp in 2013 along with Justin O’Neill (Melbourne Storm), Dale Copley (Brisbane Broncos), Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles), Andrew McCullough, Martin Kennedy (Sydney Roosters), Josh McGuire (Brisbane Broncos), William Zillman (Gold Coast Titans) and Chris McQueen (South Sydney Rabbitohs).

Next year will also see the introduction of a Junior Emerging Origin squad, which brings together Queensland’s best young players who will be vying for spots in Queensland’s Under 20 Origin team to play New South Wales.

Cowboys forward Chris Grevsmuhl, who played in the inaugural under-20s Origin in Penrith this year, will be joined by teammates Zac Santo and Patrick Kaufusi in a 17-20 January camp in Brisbane.

The development squad includes six players who are not eligible for selection in the annual game due to their age.

Queensland Rugby League (QRL) chief executive officer Robert Moore said the QAS program had been a vital cog in the pathway for elite players for many years.

“In the past few seasons alone the likes of Matt Gillett, Ben Te’o, Dave Taylor, Dane Nielsen and Jharal Yow Yeh have made the step from the QAS program into the Origin team,” Moore said.

“There is no doubt that their transition into one of sport’s toughest and most competitive arenas has been helped by their involvement in the QAS Emerging Origin program.

“The State Government and the QAS have always been big supporters of rugby league and this is reflected by the introduction of an Under 20s development squad that will utilise the QAS’s state-of-the-art facilities early next year.”

QAS EMERGING STATE OF ORIGIN SQUAD 2013

Ben BARBA CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Justin O’NEILL MELBOURNE STORM
Edrick LEE CANBERRA RAIDERS
Michael MORGAN NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Dale COPLEY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Daly CHERRY-EVANS MANLY SEA EAGLES
Andrew McCULLOUGH BRISBANE BRONCOS
Martin KENNEDY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Ben RIDGE GOLD COAST TITANS
Josh McGUIRE BRISBANE BRONCOS
Aidan GUERRA SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Josh PAPALII CANBERRA RAIDERS
William ZILLMAN GOLD COAST TITANS
Chris McQUEEN SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

•Training Camp at Queensland Academy of Sport – January 25-27 (2013)

QLD JUNIOR EMERGING ORIGIN SQUAD 2013

Caleb TIMU BRISBANE BRONCOS
Corey OATES BRISBANE BRONCOS
Chris GREVSMUHL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Hymel HUNT GOLD COAST TITANS
Kurt MANN MELBOURNE STORM
Ian RICCARDI PENRITH PANTHERS
Anthony MILFORD CANBERRA RAIDERS
Travis PEETERS BRISBANE BRONCOS
Francis MOLO BRISBANE BRONCOS
Zac SANTO NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Kierran MOSELEY PENRITH PANTHERS
Patrick MAGO CANBERRA RAIDERS
Soape PALAU BRISBANE BRONCOS
Patrick KAUFUSI NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Moses MBYE CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Cameron CULLEN BRISBANE BRONCOS
Brenko LEE CANBERRA RAIDERS
Joseph FORRESTER BRISBANE BRONCOS
John FOLAU PARRAMATTA EELS
Billy BRITTAIN MELBOURNE STORM
Ben HAMPTON* MELBOURNE STORM
Luke KEARY* SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Dylan NAPA* SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Korbin SIMS* NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Lachlan MARANTA* BRISBANE BRONCOS
Aaron WHITCHURCH* BRISBANE BRONCOS

*Ineligible for U20 State of Origin team in 2013