Billy Slater faces a number of key selection questions for his Queensland Maroons heading into the 2025 State of Origin series, with the state losing last year’s series.
A number of forwards are back from injury in a major boost for the Maroons, and many will feature prominently in what could be a new-look side.
We asked our team – editor Scott Pryde, rugby league coach Lee Addison and writers Ethan Lee Chalk and Dan Nichols – who they would pick for Game 1.
Here are their responses.
Lee Addison
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Valentine Holmes
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5. Murray Taulagi
6. Cameron Munster
7. Tom Dearden
8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9. Harry Grant
10. Moeaki Fotuaika
11. Jaydn Su’A
12. Tom Gilbert
13. J’maine Hopgood
Interchange
14. Reed Mahoney
15. Patrick Carrigan
16. Corey Horsburgh
17. Reuben Cotter
Ethan Lee Chalk
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
4. Valentine Holmes
5. Selwyn Cobbo
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Patrick Carrigan
9. Harry Grant
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. Reuben Cotter
12. Jaydn Su’A
13. Trent Loiero
Interchange
14. Ben Hunt
15. Moeaki Fotuaika
16. Corey Horsburgh
17. Tom Gilbert
Dan Nichols
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Valentine Holmes
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5. Murray Taulagi
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9. Harry Grant
10. Patrick Carrigan
11. David Fifita
12. Jaydn Su’A
13. Tom Gilbert
Interchange
14. Ben Hunt
15. Reuben Cotter
16. Corey Horsburgh
17. Moeaki Fotuaika
Scott Pryde
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Xavier Coates
3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
4. Valentine Holmes
5. Murray Taulagi
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9. Harry Grant
10. Patrick Carrigan
11. Jaydn Su’A
12. David Fifita
13. Tom Gilbert
Interchange
14. Ben Hunt
15. Corey Horsburgh
16. Jeremiah Nanai
17. Reuben Cotter
Most popular
1. Kalyn Ponga (4/4)
2. Xavier Coates (4/4)
3. Valentine Holmes (4/4)
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (4/4)
5. Murray Taulagi (3/4)
6. Cameron Munster (4/4)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (3/4)
8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (4/4)
9. Harry Grant (4/4)
10. Patrick Carrigan (3/4) – with one on bench
11. Jaydn Su’A (4/4)
12. David Fifita (2/4)
13. Tom Gilbert (2/4) – with one at lock, one on bench
Interchange
14. Ben Hunt (3/4)
15. Corey Horsburgh (4/4)
16. Reuben Cotter (3/4) – with one starting
17. Moeaki Fotuaika (2/4) – with one starting