Maroons

Captain Daly Cherry-Evans admitted the Maroons still had plenty of work to do on their defence after NSW's scoring juggernaut won the first two games with a remarkable 76-6 aggregate.

But Cherry-Evans believed their attack may prove the key to an Origin III upset.

The Maroons playmaker said a fast start was crucial and, armed with a backline boasting debutant speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, was keen to finally put some scoreboard pressure on the Blues in Wednesday's dead rubber.

Green on Monday selected Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga and Harry Grant in his 20-man squad despite the trio having not played any NRL games since round nine.

Grant has been named to start at hooker while Mahoney and fellow potential debutant Kyle Feldt have been listed on the extended bench in the team submitted to the NRL by midday on Monday under official guidelines.

Munster has battled a Lisfranc foot injury, Grant needs to overcome a hamstring strain and Ponga has struggled with a groin complaint and all three remain in doubt for the series opener next week.

It was announced on Thursday that due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Origin would be staged on November 4, 11 and 18 - three consecutive Wednesdays - when it's hoped crowds can attend.

It's the first time Origin has been played so late in the year, with the showpiece series usually kicking off in late May or early June. Venues are yet to be confirmed.

Walters told NRL.com he thinks moving the series down the calendar, free from the interruption of club football, is "excellent from our point of view" as the Maroons look to snap NSW's two-year winning run.

The injury means he will be unavailable for Origin II in Perth on June 23 and giving him little time to prove his fitness for the Holden State of Origin series finale in Sydney on July 10.

Newcastle veteran Tim Glasby, Storm forward Christian Welch, Titans prop Jarrod Wallace and Sharks forward Kurt Capewell would be the main candidates to replace Ofahengaue on Queensland's bench.

Broncos halfback Thomas Dearden limped from the field at Suncorp Stadium early on Sunday with a syndesmosis injury. 

With a nod to the future, Walters has added some exciting young guns to the Emerging Origin squad for the first time, including Jake Clifford, David Fifita, Phillip Sami and AJ Brimson. 

The weekend will mark the first opportunity for Walters and newly-appointed Maroons assistants Justin Hodges and Johnathan Thurston to work together alongside Queensland’s next generation.

Walters announced the Maroons’ new coaching and support team in November last year as part of a “fresh approach” ahead of the 2019 Holden State of Origin series.

Maroons coach Kevin Walters confirmed the additions of the four former Maroons as part of a "fresh approach" ahead of Queensland's 2019 campaign.

Hodges will join Camp Maroon as an assistant coach, while Civoniceva comes in as a team manager.

The recently retired duo of Thurston and Slater will be involved in a coaching and mentoring capacity throughout different stages of the series.

Together, the decorated Queensland quartet played an astonishing 125 State of Origin matches for the Maroons and are outstanding role models and community leaders.

Queensland provided one final highlight for stand-in skipper Slater, downing NSW 18-12 in State of Origin III in Brisbane in a fitting farewell for the veteran fullback.

Polarising Maroons playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans was a standout after ending three years in the Origin wilderness.

After his 31st and final Origin, Slater said it was vital for the Maroons' future that he helped deny the Blues their first series whitewash in 18 years.

Cook rated Ponga the best player in the NRL Telstra Premiership this season and the man that could single-handedly ruin plans of the Blues securing just their second series victory in 13 years.

With a mission of his own to terrorise rucks late in both halves, the 26-year-old expects to see more of Queensland's utility off the bench than he did of Anthony Milford in game one.

Ponga leads the NRL in tackle breaks (116), line break assists (13) and kick return metres with 871 in total.

The 23 year old played in Queensland's Game One State of Origin defeat against New South Wales earlier this month but will be unavailable for Game Two on Sunday after opting to represent Samoa.

Milford played in Samoa's Pacific Test defeat by England last May but missed the World Cup due to a shoulder injury.

Manly winger Jorge Taufua is set to make his debut for Samoa, having previously represented Tonga, however four former Toa Samoa internationals have switched allegiance to New Zealand ahead of the Kiwis controversial test against England in Denver this weekend.

Walters is a selector as well as a coach of the Maroons side and said in a statement that the "perception of my impartiality" was one of the reasons why he decided to remove himself from a club role.

Walters attended the launch of the 2018 Holden State of Origin Series in Melbourne on Tuesday where he said: "the level of interest at the media conference reinforced how privileged I am to be the head coach of a Maroons team which means so much to the people of Queensland."