Following their game one trouncing at the hands of NSW, Queensland have made multiple changes for the second match of the series, with Sharks young gun Valentine Holmes called into the Maroons team.
Overlooked for game one despite being an incumbent in the current Kangaroos team, Holmes will answer the Queensland ‘SOS’ and join the squad today as they attempt to stave off series defeat in the second game to be played at ANZ Stadium next week.
Holmes’ selection will bring him into direct confrontation with four of his Sharks teammates, with Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham, James Maloney and Jack Bird all likely to be named when the NSW team is announced at 6.00pm today.
Following their 28-4 thumping of Queensland in the first match at Suncorp, NSW selectors are expected to retain the same 17-man squad.
As for the Queenslanders, the inclusion of Holmes was one of a raft of changes made, with Billy Slater returning and Maroons stalwart Sam Thaiday surprisingly dumped from the squad.
Like the four selected for NSW, Holmes attended a brief recovery session at Sharks headquarters this morning and was then set to join his Queensland teammates in camp.
The second game of the Origin series will be played on Wednesday, June 21 at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
The Queensland team is listed below;
BILLY SLATER
DARIUS BOYD
WILL CHAMBERS
DANE GAGAI
VALENTINE HOLMES
JOHNATHAN THURSTON
COOPER CRONK
DYLAN NAPA
CAMERON SMITH
JOSH PAPALII
GAVIN COOPER
MATT GILLETT
JOSH MCGUIRE
Interchange
MICHAEL MORGAN
TIM GLASBY
COEN HESS
JARROD WALLACE
