Many thought he should be there for game one however after Queensland suffered a heavy defeat in the first game of the Origin series the SOS went out and seven changes were made, with Sharks young gun Valentine Holmes one of the newcomers called into the Maroons team.
An incumbent in the Australian team, Holmes has been outstanding for the Sharks through the first 14 rounds of the 2017 season, earning the promotion to the Origin arena.
His selection will bring him into direct opposition with his four Sharks teammates in the NSW team, setting the stage for an interesting confrontation next Wednesday night.
See what he had to say, now playing on Sharks TV.
