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Clive Churchill Medal winner Ryan Papenhuyzen is one of several new faces in line to make their State of Origin debut after NSW and Queensland announced the final additions to their squads following the NRL grand final.

Melbourne have been rewarded for their premiership win with seven players called into the squads while six Panthers received some consolation after their grand final loss by being told they would be required for state duty.

As expected, Josh Addo-Carr and Papenhuyzen will head to the NSW camp during the week while Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Brenko Lee, Christian Welch, Felise Kaufusi and Cameron Munster will be joining Queensland's squad.

For Penrith, Kurt Capewell was added to the Maroons squad while grand final teammates Stephen Crichton, Liam Martin, Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai and Isaah Yeo have been named by the Blues.

While it will be hard to displace James Tedesco from the NSW fullback role, Papenhuyzen could do a job elsewhere in the 17, according to his coach, Craig Bellamy.

Speechless Papenhuyzen soaks it all in

"[Papenhuyzen] has really matured this year, I'm sure he'd be the first one to say he's had a lot of help off Billy [Slater] and he's been very grateful for that," Bellamy said. 

"He can play a few other places and he's tough as nails and he'll give you some X-factor for a couple of other positions as well so I'm sure Freddie will be looking at him pretty hard to play on the bench.

"Tino went in leaps and bounds this year. Unfortunately he won't be with us, he's played his last game for the club tonight but he's been outstanding all year for a guy his age.

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"He was our only player coming to round 20 who played every game, he's done a tremendous job for us this year.

"Brenko only came to us this year. It's a great credit to him he'd be considered for Queensland selection this year. I'm really happy for them."

An emotional Brenko Lee told NRL.com he was speechless at the news.

"I'm lost for words; I can't believe it," Lee said.

"I was at a crossroads, now I have a ring and I'm about to roll into Origin camp. I'm grateful to be called into Origin camp because Queensland means the world to me."

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary, while despondent at the grand final result, praised the efforts of his Origin debutants and the benefit their experience could add to Penrith next year.

"I'm really happy for them, all of them thoroughly deserve it," he said.

"It is a bit of cold comfort but all those individuals can sit back and say 'I've earned my spot in the biggest game around'.

Cleary 'would love to have the game again tomorrow'

"It's only going to help our team as well, it shows all those young boys have made some incredible strides this year as a team.

"We'll have to wait for the pre-season [to reap the benefits as a club] but I'm looking forward to it as well."

NSW coach Brad Fittler said in the Channel 9 post-match coverage that no players suffered injuries in Sunday's grand final win.

Papenhuyzen claims Clive Churchill Medal

Fittler said he was close to knowing what he wanted his 17-man line-up for Origin I to be and would give Tedesco as much time as he needed to get over his knee injury.

Luai was a surprising selection but Fittler said he was "a player of the future for NSW" and "one of the most energetic players" in the NRL finals.

His inclusion was welcomed by his club halves partner, Nathan Cleary.

"It's definite a silver lining, all the boys found out after the game, especially someone like Romey, it's his first year in first grade so to be picked in the Blues squad he's super pumped," Cleary said.

Lee, Fa’asuamaleaui and Capewell are yet to play Origin football, taking the tally of uncapped Maroons in this year’s squad to 17, which means their team for Origin I will have at least seven debutants.

The Origin series kicks off at the Adelaide Oval on November 4, followed by game two in Sydney on November 11 and the series finale at Suncorp Stadium on November 18.

NSW Blues squad

  • Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne Storm)
  • Nathan Brown (Parramatta Eels)
  • Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Parramatta Eels)
  • Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
  • Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
  • Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters)
  • Nick Cotric (Canberra Raiders)
  • Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
  • Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)
  • Dale Finucane (Melbourne Storm)
  • Tyson Frizell (St George Illawarra Dragons)
  • Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
  • Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
  • Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters)
  • Zac Lomax (St George Illawarra Dragons)
  • Jarome Luai (Penrith Panthers)
  • Cameron McInnes (St George Illawarra Dragons)
  • Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
  • Ryan Papenhuyzen (Melbourne Storm)
  • Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)
  • Daniel Saifiti (Newcastle Knights)
  • James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)
  • Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
  • Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
  • Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
  • Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders)
  • Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)

Queensland Maroons squad

  • Corey Allan (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
  • Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)
  • AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans)
  • Kurt Capewell (Penrith Panthers)
  • Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
  • Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
  • Xavier Coates (Brisbane Broncos)
  • Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
  • Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Melbourne Storm)
  • Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)
  • Jake Friend (Sydney Roosters)
  • Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
  • Harry Grant (Wests Tigers/Melbourne Storm)
  • Coen Hess (North Queensland Cowboys)
  • Valentine Holmes (North Queensland Cowboys)
  • Hymel Hunt (Newcastle Knights)
  • Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)
  • Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm)
  • Josh Kerr (St George Illawarra Dragons)
  • Brenko Lee (Melbourne Storm)
  • Edrick Lee (Newcastle Knights)
  • Dunamis Lui (Canberra Raiders)
  • Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
  • Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
  • Phillip Sami (Gold Coast Titans)
  • Jaydn Su’A (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
  • Christian Welch (Melbourne Storm)

 

Acknowledgement of Country

North Queensland Cowboys respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.