New Queensland assistant coach Cameron Smith has revealed what the Maroons spine will look like if all goes to plan.
Rookie head coach Billy Slater has a tough assignment ahead of him, striving to right the wrongs of last year when a Paul Green-led Maroons were thrashed in the first two games of the State of Origin series.
Smith, though, revealed there isn’t likely to be wholesale changes to the key positions in the side.
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He confirmed to SEN radio that Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster, and Daly Cherry-Evans should retain their places in the No.1, 6, and 7 jerseys respectively.
Gun hooker Harry Grant will return to the No.9 jumper which was worn by Ben Hunt last year following the former’s injury.
“Kalyn’s only coming back from injury, he probably takes a couple of weeks to get his mojo back,” Smith said.
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“His feeling of the game, he’s a supreme athlete as we all know, he played quite well in round one before he was injured.
“Munster, he can turn it on when he wants to.
“I’ve been really impressed with Daly in the last couple of weeks, he’s really taken on that role as the leader (at Manly) to bring the team out of the form slump in the first few weeks.
“Harry Grant, he’s been very good, he missed one game in the first four weeks, but he’s been in great form.”
“Those guys will more than likely be the spine, but Queensland have some good players that are in form if they’re not available.”
Parramatta rake Reed Mahoney is putting pressure on Grant for the hooker role, but could also start on the bench if it came to that.
Hunt would also be stiff to be axed from the Queensland team altogether, given how well he has played for the Maroons in the last three years.
The 2022 Origin series begins on June 8 in Sydney.
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