Experts' view: Maroons team for Origin I

A year after the Maroons conjured one of the greatest upsets in 40 years of Origin football in 2020, the job is there again.

They need to assemble a group of hard workers around a few bona fide stars and get the better of a NSW side with choices galore in key positions.

New Queensland coach Paul Green will have a side at his disposal that needs to tap into the underdog spirit that has served the state so well.

With a handful of key players such as Harry Grant and Cameron Munster under injury clouds, last-minute recalculations may be forced upon Maroons selectors on Sunday.

While a handful of spots are as close to certainties as you will ever see, others require some thought.

Experts' view - Maroons team for Origin I

Steve Renouf (Maroons legend)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Valentine Holmes
4. Dane Gagai
5. Kyle Feldt
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Jai Arrow
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
14. Jamal Fogarty
15. Jaydn Su’A
16. Kurt Capewell
17. Jarrod Wallace

Jai Arrow and Valentine Holmes are the players who can step up and solve a couple of problem areas for the Maroons. Arrow can take over from the suspended Josh Papalii while Holmes is good enough to get the job done in the centres.

Brett Kimmorley (Former Test halfback)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Will Chambers
4. Dane Gagai
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Moeaki Fotuaika
9. Harry Grant
10. Christian Welch
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Ben Hunt
15. David Fifita
16. Joe Ofahengaue
17. Jai Arrow 

The hardest thing for me is even picking a Queensland side considering how passionate I am about NSW.

Jamie Soward (2010 premiership winner)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Moeaki Fotuaika
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Moses Mbye
15. Jai Arrow
16. Jaydn Su'A
17. Coen Hess

Utility value is hard to find and Mbye can get the job done for the Maroons. They will need to get the combo of Ponga and DCE right.

Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers great)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Moeaki Fotuaika
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. AJ Brimson
15. Joe Ofahengaue
16. Jaydn Su'A
17. Jai Arrow

It is hard picking a Queensland side. I don't even like thinking about them. Hopefully, NSW will take care of these guys.

Mary Konstantopoulos (Ladies Who League) 

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Jai Arrow
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14.  Ben Hunt
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16.  Jaydn Su'A
17.  Harry Grant

Given the injuries and suspensions which have ruled several key Queenslander forwards out of game one, the hardest spot to pick was number 16. Jaydn Su'A has had an impressive season so far and just made my team ahead of the likes of Corey Horsburgh and Frank Molo.

Brad Walter (NRL.com senior reporter)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. AJ Brimson
5. Val Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Jai Arrow
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Ben Hunt
15. Jaydn Su'A
16. Kurt Capewell
17. Moeaki Fotuaika

Leaving out Reed Mahoney wasn't easy as he has been in top form for the Eels but Harry Grant proved himself in Origin last year and Ben Hunt provides cover for the halves as well as at hooker.

Paul Suttor (NRL.com editor)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. AJ Brimson
5. Val Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Jai Arrow
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Reed Mahoney
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16. Kurt Capewell
17. Josh Kerr

If Harry Grant is fit then he should start at hooker with Reed Mahoney on the bench, otherwise, Ben Hunt should get a reprieve as the utility or potentially at five-eighth if Cameron Munster’s foot is no good. 

Alicia Newton (NRL.com reporter)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. Will Chambers
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant/Reed Mahoney
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Jai Arrow
14. Ben Hunt
15. Kurt Capewell
16. Joe Ofahengaue
17. Josh Kerr

Injuries and suspensions are the themes for Queensland with their forward and centre stocks particularly light on so it’s time to go back to experience with Will Chambers and Joe Ofahengaue.

Paul Zalunardo (NRL.com senior journalist)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Moeaki Fotuaika
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Ben Hunt
15. Coen Hess
16. Jaydn Su'A
17. Jai Arrow

Filling out the bench isn't easy, but if Munster and Grant both play and that duo join Ponga, DCE and Orgin-specialist Gagai in firing, it might not matter.

Dan Walsh (NRL.com reporter)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
11. David Fifta
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Jai Arrow
14. Ben Hunt
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16. Jaydn Su'A
17. Jarrod Wallace

Leaving AJ Brimson out wasn't easy. With injury clouds over Grant and Munster, Hunt's ability to play big minutes at dummy-half if needed outweighs Brimson's attacking brilliance in the utility stakes.

Zac Bailey (NRL.com reporter)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Kurt Capewell
4. Dane Gagai
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Moeaki Fotuaika
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Ben Hunt
15. Jai Arrow
16. Jaydn Su’A
17. Josh Kerr 

The hardest selection was filling the final spot on the Maroons bench. I’ve gone with the uncapped Josh Kerr – ahead of Joe Ofahengaue, Coen Hess and Jarrod Wallace. He’s a big body who I believe could step up in the Origin arena. The biggest headache for new coach Paul Green will be what he does if Cameron Munster isn’t fit for Origin I.

Chris Kennedy (NRL.com reporter)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. AJ Brimson
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster / Ben Hunt
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Jai Arrow
14. Harry Grant
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16. Kurt Capewell
17. Jarrod Wallace

AJ Brimson needs to be in the 13 and a vacant centre spot needs filling, with Kurt Capewell’s utility too important on the bench. Ben Hunt is on standby for Cameron Munster while Harry Grant’s lack of match fitness relegates him to a bench spot where he lethal last year with Reed Mahoney to debut in the No.9.

Troy Whittaker (NRL.com reporter)

1. Kalyn Ponga 
2. Xavier Coates 
3. Dane Gagai 
4. Kurt Capewell 
5. Valentine Holmes 
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christan Welch
9. Reed Mahoney 
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Jai Arrow
14. Harry Grant
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16. Coen Hess
17. AJ Brimson

Coming off an injury, Harry Grant is best suited to a bench dummy-half role. The interchange may seem light on forwards, but backline utility AJ Brimson is too dangerous to ignore and centre Kurt Capewell can push infield. The rejuvenated Coen Hess would play as a middle. 

Lone Scout (NRL.com Fantasy guru)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Harry Grant
10. Jai Arrow
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Ben Hunt
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16. Josh Kerr
17. Joe Ofahengaue

Queensland start looking a little light on for depth once you get to their bench but there’s still enough star power in the spine to get the job done – especially if both Cameron Munster and Harry Grant are back to full fitness.

Martin Lenehan (NRL.com senior journalist)

1. AJ Brimson
2. Val Holmes
3. Dane Gagai
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
9. Ben Hunt
10. Christian Welch
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Jai Arrow
14. Reed Mahoney
15. Dunamis Lui
16. Moeaki Fotuaika
17. Jaydn Su’A 

Big call to leave Kalyn Ponga out but the superstar Knight has played only five of 11 games this season and would be underdone. AJ Brimson has been in superb form and deserves a shot in the No.1 jersey.

Kenny Scott (NRL.com podcaster)

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Dane Gagai
4. AJ Brimson
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Christian Welch
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Moeaki Fotuaika
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. David Fifita
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
14. Ben Hunt
15. Jai Arrow
16. Jaydn Su'A
17. Kurt Capewell

It’s a question of Hunt or Mbye on the bench for utility value. Hunt has the edge when it comes to the hooking and halves roles so is better value. Chuck Brimson in the centres – why not?