Toyota Cowboys fullback Michael Morgan will get a real taste of the State of Origin experience for the first time after being named as 19th man for Queensland for game 3 of the 2014 series next week.
In career-best form after making the switch to No.1 at the start of the year, the 22-year-old will still play for North Queensland against St George Illawarra in Sydney on Saturday evening before heading into camp with the Maroons on Sunday.
Morgan has been identified as a future Maroon with his previous selections in the QAS Emerging Maroons squad in the past two seasons, but this is the closest he has come to earning his first Origin jersey.
Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston will be the club’s only representative in the 17-man squad on game day after injuries claimed both Matt Scott (cheekbone) and Brent Tate (knee).
JT will be in the No.6 jersey for his 30th consecutive Origin appearance.
Will Chambers will make his Origin debut after being selected on the wing as the replacement for Tate, while Jacob Lillyman moves from the interchange bench to starting prop alongside Nate Myles in the wake of Scott’s injury.
Cooper Cronk and Corey Parker have regained their positions after missing last month’s loss to the Blues in Sydney due to injury.
Daly Cherry-Evans reverts back to the utility role on a revamped interchange bench featuring Ben Te’o, Matt Gillett and Dave Taylor.
Chris McQueen is carrying an ankle injury and will miss out on playing a sixth successive Origin match.
XXXX Queensland Maroons:
1. Billy SLATER (Melbourne Storm)
2. Darius BOYD (Newcastle Knights)
3. Greg INGLIS (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
4. Justin HODGES (Brisbane Broncos)
5. Will CHAMBERS (Melbourne Storm)
6. Johnathan THURSTON (North Queensland Cowboys)
7. Cooper CRONK (Melbourne Storm)
8. Jacob LILLYMAN (NZ Warriors)
9. Cameron SMITH (c) (Melbourne Storm)
10. Nate MYLES (Gold Coast Titans)
11. Aidan GUERRA (Sydney Roosters)
12. Sam THAIDAY (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Corey PARKER (Brisbane Broncos)
14. Daly CHERRY-EVANS (Manly Sea Eagles)
15. Ben TE’O (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
16. Matt GILLETT (Brisbane Broncos)
17. Dave TAYLOR (Gold Coast Titans)
18. Josh McGUIRE (Brisbane Broncos)
19. Michael MORGAN* (North Queensland Cowboys)
Coach: Mal Meninga
*Will join camp after Cowboys match on Saturday 5 July.
