Billy Slater will unveil Queensland's team for Game 1 of the State of Origin series at 9am on Monday, with Kalyn Ponga set to wear the No.7 and a major call looming at fullback. The announcement comes after Tom Dearden was ruled out of contention last week when he suffered a serious ankle injury.
Dearden's setback opened the door to a scramble for the halfback spot, and Daly Cherry-Evans remains in the frame as a recall option. Sam Walker and Jake Clifford have also been mentioned as possible choices, but Slater appears ready to settle the discussion early and back Ponga in a role that would reshape Queensland's attack from the opening whistle.
The selection matters because it is not just about replacing an injured halfback. Queensland's origin game 1 team news has been driven by the twin questions of who fills the No.7 and how Slater wants to use Ponga, a decision that could alter the team's balance before a ball is kicked. The injury to Dearden forced the issue, and the coach has had to weigh experience, form and fit under the pressure that always surrounds the series opener.
That leaves one clear tension in Monday's announcement: whether Cherry-Evans, Walker or Clifford is also part of the final halfback mix, or whether Slater has already chosen a more decisive path. What is already certain is that Queensland will not be able to hide behind the injury any longer; by 9am, the first major selection of the series will be public, and it will define the shape of Game 1.
