Queensland Coach Billy Slater has selected three Storm players in his squad for next week’s 2023 Origin opener.
Hooker Harry Grant and Cameron Munster have once again earned selection while Storm Captain Christian Welch returns to the Origin fold as 19th man in the Maroons squad after being sidelined for the majority of the 2022 season with an achilles injury.
Munster, the most experienced of the Storm trio is set to line up for his 16th appearance in Maroon colours and will be a welcome addition to Slater’s side. The live wire played two matches in 2022, missed the decider through injury. Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans has been selected to partner Munster in the halves.
Grant, who played all three games last year off the bench will be pushing for a starting position in the Queensland outfit after featuring to great effect off the bench in 2022.
The 2023 Origin Series kicks-off on Wednesday 31 May at the Adelaide Oval from 8:05pm.
Maroons squad for Game I
1. Reece Walsh (Brisbane Broncos)
2. Selwyn Cobbo (Brisbane Broncos)
3. Valentine Holmes (North Queensland Cowboys)
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (The Dolphins)
5. Murray Taulagi (North Queensland Cowboys)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (C) (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
8. Thomas Flegler (Brisbane Broncos)
9. Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)
10. Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
11. Tom Gilbert (The Dolphins)
12. David Fifita (Gold Coast Titans)
13. Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
14. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
15. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
16. Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)
17. Jai Arrow (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
18. Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys)
19. Christian Welch (Melbourne Storm)
Coach: Billy Slater
