Coach Billy Slater is thrilled with the depth in Queensland’s middle forward positions, with a quartet of rising guns catching his eye ahead of the State of Origin series.
Canberra No.13 Corey Horsburgh and Parramatta lock J’maine Hopgood are yet to play Origin but have impressed.
Tom Gilbert, one of the Dolphins’ best at lock this season, shone in Game Three of last year’s series in his Origin debut.
And Brisbane firebrand Tom Flegler has taken his game to another level after one Maroons appearance in 2021.
“There are a number of Queenslanders that have performed well,” Slater told AAP.
“The first thing you’ve got to consider as a selector or coach of the Queensland team is: Is the player capable?
“Do they have enough good habits and a well-rounded game that would stand up in a high-pressure environment like State of Origin?
“The second thing is: Is there an opportunity there?
“We are starting to get a whole heap of capable players who would do the job for Queensland.”
Maroons veteran Josh Papali’i, Australia’s World Cup winners Pat Carrigan and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, and Sydney Roosters forward Lindsay Collins played in the middle forward positions in all three matches of Queensland’s series win last year.
“It is a position on the field where we have a bit of a luxury (in depth) at the moment and we have quite a few players in that capable category,” Slater said.
“Tom Gilbert is a great of example of capable connecting with opportunity.
“Last year he showed a lot of people that he was more than capable of playing for Queensland and in Game Three he got his opportunity.
“J’maine Hopgood is starting to build that capability in his game. He’s played some lovely footy.
“Tom Flegler was in all three camps last year but didn’t get that opportunity to play. He is really developing his game as a front-rower this year and I think he has taken a couple of steps forward.”
Horbsurgh told AAP after Canberra’s round six win over the Broncos of his desire to play for Queensland after several injury-disrupted seasons prevented him from stating his case.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said he loved the emotion Horbsurgh played with and that he was now channelling it in the right direction, which has impressed Slater.
“You’ve got to ask yourself: Why does Corey make all those cover tackles? The answer is that he works hard,” Slater said.
“Look at the Broncos game and all (Canberra’s) kick-chases and there is a common player (Horsburgh) that leads that in the middle of the field and that is not easy to do.
“That part of the game, you are not always needed, but it is a necessity to be there. He has built that work ethic in his game.
“Those things can sometimes go unnoticed, but they don’t go unnoticed when I watch our Queensland players.”
