Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga has declared he’s in doubt for the series opener despite sitting out training on Wednesday.
Ponga was a late arrival to Maroons camp this week after wild weather in Newcastle cancelled his flight north on Monday.
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The Dally M Medal winner returns to the Origin arena in the No. 1 jersey for the first time in almost three years after Broncos star Reece Walsh went down injured.
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Ponga was still tipped to unseat Queensland’s incumbent fullback Walsh this year given the Broncos struggles this season.
The Knights skipper limped off the field after their loss to the Eels last Friday night but Maroons officials said his omission from training was “precautionary”.
The 27-year-old declared he’s good to go for Game 1 and said he has no interest in giving the No. 1 jersey back to Walsh.
“I’m definitely keen to keep it,” Ponga said.
“I want to do my job and put together some performances I’m proud of for sure.
“You have to earn this Queensland jersey and that’s what I’ll be doing for sure.
“I actually really enjoy watching Reece play and I love him as a person.
“The competition isn’t negative at all, I actually think it’s good for both of us.
“The beauty of the Queensland culture is you support each other 100 per cent.”
MARTIN TO REIGNITE MUNSTER FEUD
Blues enforcer Liam Martin has reignited his feud with Maroons superstar Cameron Munster and tipped they’d lock horns again in the series opener next Wednesday.
The beef started during the 2021 State of Origin series when Martin put the boot into Munster on the ground in Game 1.
In 2022, Martin said he would target the Storm five-eighth’s injured ribs and even going on a Kangaroos tour together at the end of that year didn’t mend the relationship.
The Queenslander said in the lead up to last year’s grand final that he’d never really liked the Panthers backrower but Munster later apologised at the request of his own mother.
But the duo were at each other’s throats once again in Round 3 this season, with Munster attempting a hip-drop tackle and later claiming Martin had called him a “liability” throughout the game.
“I never called him a liability – I called (Storm centre) Jack Howarth a liability, and Munster must have thought it was him,” Martin told The SMH.
“I don’t know if it was a [Munster] hip-drop, but I got my ankles caught up, and it gave me the shits a bit. So I thought, stuff this, I’ll get into him. It brought out another battle.
“Every game we play, the play will be gone, but he’ll be there yapping in my ear, just following me along.
“I can’t even remember what he said to me in Melbourne. You just have to grab him.
“We always have those little match-ups. I’m sure there will be a few more next week.
“As soon as we cross that line, anything goes.”
MAY BREAKS SILENCE ON BLUES SNUB
Terrell May has opened up on his State of Origin omission, vowing to keep working to “earn the trust” of coach Laurie Daley and the Blues.
The Tigers prop, who was overlooked in favour of Bulldogs forward Max King, also addressed a controversial social media video that prompted speculation it had played a factor in his non selection.
May said he regretted the video and admitted his frustrations at reports he was set to miss out on the Origin squad drove him to make the “throw it in the bin” comment regarding a Blues jersey he had gifted to a friend.
Laurie defends King over May selection | 01:13
“Someone clipped that 30 second video of me saying what I never should have said it and that’s on me, that’s on myself,” he said on Nathans Lawns and Gardens Facebook page.
“The guy I said it to, I bought him a NSW jersey as a joke because he’s a hard out Queensland supporter.”
May said he got frustrated when reports surfaced that he was set to miss out on selection.
“I wish I could take that back, but you can’t,” May said
“Obviously I was joking, but no one really knows me personally, so I shouldn’t assume people are going to know me.
“I’m going to try and earn that spot and trust.
“I just wish I had a way to communicate that to the staff members at the Blues.”
Blues coach Laurie Daley, meanwhile, denied May’s actions on social media had influenced his decision to hand a shock debut to King.
“No, no, no, it’s strictly on what we see as important in our team,” Daley said on NRL 360 on Monday night.
“Terrell’s a wonderful player, but we couldn’t find a spot for everyone.
“But we just thought that Max (King) was knocking too hard on the door and he had to be included.”
BLUES ENFORCER FAILS TO TRAIN
Payne Haas remains in doubt for the series opener in Brisbane after failing to train during a rain-soaked session in the Blue Mountains on Wednesday.
Haas suffered a quad strain against the Rabbitohs on Sunday and while scans cleared the Broncos star of major injury there are concerns he will be unable to suit up in the front row.
Haas was photographed on the sidelines in conversation with Blues assistant coach Craig Bellamy while standby forward Stefano Utoikamanu trained in his place.
The Blues are hopeful Haas will be able to play with Daley confirming on Monday they will give him up until the very last moment to prove his fitness.
It was better news for teammate Stephen Crichton who also entered Blues camp under an injury cloud.
Crichton, who picked up a groin injury in Round 11, trained fully on Wednesday allaying concerns the Blues could be without the superstar Bulldogs centre.
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