Uncertainty in the Queensland State of Origin camp has not created any angst at Brisbane despite coach Anthony Griffin being resigned to losing all seven of his Maroon stars for Friday night’s NRL clash with Cronulla.
Three players must be cut from the 20-strong Queensland squad for Wednesday’s Origin series decider but the make-up of the 17 hinges on fullback Billy Slater’s availability.
Maroons’ coach Mal Meninga said Slater could be given until Saturday to prove his fitness, ensuring none of the Broncos in Queensland’s Origin camp on the Sunshine Coast could run out against the Sharks.
Among the many scenarios that Slater’s Saturday deadline throws up, Broncos Ben Te’o or Matt Gillett could be left in limbo by being cut from the Maroons squad after missing the Brisbane clash.
The rest of Brisbane’s Queensland contingent – Sam Thaiday, Petero Civoniceva, Corey Parker, Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant – are considered Maroons’ certainties.
Griffin clung to the hope that the Maroons would make a call on which Broncos in the Origin squad were available as early as Thursday.
“I think they will make a call either today or tomorrow on what they are going to do,” he said.
“If it happens, it happens. That’s the system at the moment.”
But Griffin insisted it had not been a distraction ahead of the top-four showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
“They have got some decisions to make – they are not giving too much away,” he said of the Queensland selectors.
“But at this stage, I would say we won’t get any back, I don’t think.
“But we are okay. We picked 17, the same 17 trained today and we have had a good week – it hasn’t been disruptive for us.”
Indeed Griffin was happy that his Queensland contingent had swelled to seven with Te’o’s inclusion.
“I am extremely happy for Ben. Something he has tried to crack for a long time now is the Maroons side and he is very close now,” he said.
Griffin said a Brisbane side without their Origin stars could no longer be called the “Baby Broncos”.
Ahead of Origin II, Brisbane thrashed the Sydney Roosters 40-22 on June 10 without six Queensland stars.
And Griffin expected more of the same against a Sharks outfit without NSW dangermen Todd Carney and Paul Gallen.
“They are not these babies that everyone talks about,” he said of Friday night’s side which will include ex-NSW halfback Peter Wallace and internationals Jack Reed (England), Josh Hoffman, Gerard Beale and Alex Glenn (NZ), who will captain the team.
From the 17 who claimed the shock win over the Roosters, there are only two exceptions.
Te’o looks set to be replaced in the starting backrow by Brendon Gibb, while Kurt Baptiste will be cut from the bench and utility back Aaron Whitchurch handed his NRL debut.