Maroons Origin II team: Hopgood may be forced to back out as Fifita misses final chance to press claims

16/06/2024

Queensland have a State of Origin injury concern with J’maine Hopgood ruled out of Parramatta’s clash against Sydney Roosters with a back problem.

Hurt in Origin I when hit hard by Liam Martin, he battled through limited minutes against Canterbury last week.

He was then pulled by the Eels for Saturday’s clash, leaving renewed concerns over the forward’s fitness for Origin II at the MCG on June 26.

Hopgood’s fate will likely sit in the hands of Maroons’ medical staff even if picked by coach Billy Slater, with the 25-year-old considered a week-by-week proposition.

Hopgood’s withdrawal came just hours after his potential Queensland replacement in David Fifita was ruled out of Gold Coast’s match against Wests Tigers with an ankle complaint.

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A shock omission from Queensland’s game-one win, Fifita had been long odds to return to the Maroons’ team for Game II on June 26.

But any hope of pushing his case on Saturday at Leichhardt Oval is now all but over.

In a statement, the Titans said the move to rest Fifita was only “precautionary”, after he had suffered a “minor ankle injury”. It is expected he will return next week against the Warriors, in the Origin-impacted round 16.

Forward depth is being stretched in the Sunshine State as Queensland went into Origin I without injured automatic selections Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert, along with fullback Kalyn Ponga and five-eighth Cameron Munster.

They are all out long term with Flegler hopeful of getting back on the park soon but his ongoing shoulder problem means Origin III is his only potential option in the representative arena.

Reece Walsh reels on the ground as Ben Hunt rushes in to help. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Reece Walsh has missed the past two Broncos matches from to the category-one concussion he suffered in the Joseph Suaalii hit in Origin I due to the 11-day mandatory stand-down period.

Maroons winger Murray Taulagi suffered a minor shoulder complaint but returned for the Cowboys in their win over Canberra on Friday night.

Unless injuries strike in club footy on Sunday, coach Billy Slater is unlikely to make any changes.

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Queensland Origin I team

1 Reece Walsh (Broncos)

2 Xavier Coates (Storm)

3 Valentine Holmes (Cowboys)

4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)

5 Murray Taulagi (Cowboys)

6 Tom Dearden (Cowboys)

7 Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)

8 Reuben Cotter (Cowboys)

9 Ben Hunt (Dragons)

10 Lindsay Collins (Roosters)

11 Jaydn Su’A (Dragons)

12 Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys)

13 Patrick Carrigan (Broncos)

14 Harry Grant (Storm)

15 Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans)

16 J’maine Hopgood (Eels)

17 Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos)

18 Felise Kaufusi (Dolphins)

19 Brendan Piakura (Broncos)

20 Ezra Mam (Broncos)

Predicted Maroons Origin II team