Queensland are set to make a shock call on Josh McGuire, with the Maroons enforcer reportedly set to be dumped from an inexperienced forward pack.
New coach Wayne Bennett and the selectors are set to name an initial squad this afternoon, springing some big surprises, with the McGuire call going against the advice of Queensland great Sam Thaiday.
Thaiday named his 17-man Queensland side for Wide World of Sports' with McGuire a central part of his blueprint for the November Origin series.
As well as axing McGuire, Fox Sports reports a trio of Gold Coast young guns - AJ Brimson, Mo Fotuaika and Phillip Sami - will be selected.
Thaiday, who played 29 games for the Maroons and was part of the dynasty era that won 11 out 12 series between 2006-2017, said Queensland would enter this year's Origin campaign as the "underdogs".
He said he would have picked McGuire to start in the front-row in a bid to boost the Maroons' toughness on the field.
The 30-year-old had been an automatic selection in the team since making his debut back in 2015.
"I'd love to put the challenge to him (McGuire) to play limited minutes, but to go out there and be aggressive," Thaiday told Wide World of Sports' Queensland Maroons Origin preview.
"Stir some stuff up. Come up with an aggressive tackle and put pressure on the kicker every time they kick.
"I think he would be fantastic in that position."
Thaiday ignored Sami's selection claims, opting to go with Melbourne's Brenko Lee and Penrith's Kurt Capewell in the centres.
"To throw the spanner in the works, I've got Brenko Lee," he added.
"He's been in the Melbourne Storm system and has absolutely blossomed. I think Craig Bellamy has really challenged him and the way he plays his footy.
"The reward of playing for Queensland, I think he can do a job there.
"The other one is Kurt Capewell.
"He will go deep into the finals with Penrith.
"You can put him there and it will be fantastic defensively.
"He's a big body to play out there in the centres. If someone goes down, he can cover that back row as well."
Another big move Thaiday urged the Maroons to make to avoid losing their third series in a row is to name Jake Friend as the starting hooker, relegating Ben Hunt to the bench utility role.
Even if Friend, who's currently under the injury cloud, is unable to be ready in time, Thaiday said young star Harry Grant should be next in line to take up the hooker responsibilities.
"I think if Jake Friend can get through and go deep in the finals and come out the other end injury free, he has to be your pick," Thaiday added.
"He has to be my number one pick and Harry Grant next.
"I see Ben Hunt as a super-sub in the No.14 jersey.
"He can come in play dummy half if need be, he can also cover some the outside back as well. Also, he can play tough in the middle."
Sam Thaiday's 17-man Queensland side:
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Dane Gagai
3. Brenko Lee
4. Kurt Capewell
5. Corey Oates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Josh McGuire
9. Jake Friend
10. Josh Papalii
11. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Jai Arrow
Interchange: Ben Hunt, Patrick Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, Christian Welch
from WWOS https://ift.tt/36AP31Z
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