Qld

For the first time since Game Three, 2004 a State of Origin match will be played without Thurston after the champion five-eighth was officially withdrawn from the team, freeing the way for Anthony Milford to prepare for his Origin debut without any doubt.

On Wednesday morning Thurston told the media that he remained hopeful of playing his 37th consecutive Origin match but some testing late on Wednesday afternoon and a subsequent scan early Thursday morning confirmed that his shoulder was in no fit state to take the field and the decision was made.

Figures from Queensland Health showed 27,506 people were diagnosed with an STI in 2016, up 10 per cent on the previous year.

About 82 per cent of cases were for chlamydia, however experts have been surprised by a large spike in gonorrhoea.

In 2016, 4,006 Queenslanders were diagnosed with gonorrhoea, up from 3,038 the previous year.

The bacterial disease can affect both sexes, and has the potential to cause infertility in women and harm unborn babies.

Most cases were recorded Brisbane's Metro North and Metro South reporting areas.

Patients at the Princess Alexandra Hospital will start undergoing treatment within days now that the new computer program, Calypso, has gone online.

Patients at the Princess Alexandra Hospital will start undergoing treatment within days now that the new computer program, Calypso, has gone online.

Opinion has been divided on Parker's decision to announce his retirement at the end of the season two days out from potentially the biggest rugby league match of the year but both Walters and Blues counterpart Laurie Daley expressed surprise at the 34-year-old's decision.

The recipient of the Wally Lewis Medal last year as the best player in the 2015 Holden State of Origin Series, Parker had intimated that he was keen to play on in 2017 but instead has decided to make this year his 16th and final NRL season with the Broncos.

McGuire was on Wednesday evening named to replace the injured Nate Myles in the Queensland starting team for Game Two of the 2016 Holden State of Origin Series and a toss of the coin and direction of the wind will determine whether he is the first man tackled in what could be the Series decider.

Dating back to the very first game in 1980 with Arthur Beetson, Origin matches have featured a roll call of barrelling bookends who have taken arguably the hardest run in rugby league by throwing themselves at the mercy of a rabid opposition.

Cronk surprised onlookers on Tuesday when he ran out with the Maroons' squad for their only training session at Sydney's Olympic stadium ahead of the State of Origin opener.

While he is not certain Cronk would be fit to play, Walters remains confident the half-back would make the cut - but the final call will be left to the man himself.

"I will let Cooper make the call. He is big enough to work out whether he can get through 80 minutes of Origin," Walters said.

"He's quietly confident he can play. But tomorrow, we have to make a decision," he said.

As the Sea Eagles have struggled to find consistency under new coach Trent Barrett and with a completely remodelled playing roster Myles has been unable to stand out, but standing out has never really been his thing.

The man himself will deride the lack of fast-twitch fibres in his legs and lack of anything resembling even a little bit of footwork at the line but the Maroons have got a job for Myles to lock up the middle of the field and after 29 appearances they know he'll get it done.

Thurston said Cronk, who rolled his ankle at training on Friday, had earned the right to be given until the last minute to prove his fitness.

Queensland doctor Matt Hislop said precautionary scans on Cronk's injury were encouraging and it was hoped aggressive treatment would ensure the half-back was ready to play New South Wales.

While all members of the squad took part in the session Thurston did skip some of the tackling drills but ran freely and did plenty of kicking practice, showing few ill effects from the hard knock he copped from Queensland teammate Josh McGuire in the Cowboys-Broncos classic last Friday night.

It wouldn't be a Queensland Origin camp without an 'injury scare' of some sort but Inglis rejected the notion that it in any way would put Thurston in doubt for Game One of the 2016 Holden State of Origin Series at ANZ Stadium. 

"It's just a bruise, he'll get over it," Inglis said.