Queensland coach Paul Green is understood to have selected Eels hooker Reed Mahoney as his starting rake for Origin I.
As reported byย The Courier Mail,ย Mahoney is set to get the nod ahead of Storm star Harry Grant, who will likely find a place in the No.14 jumper off the bench.
Grant has recently been battling a hamstring tear and despite recently stating his confidence to run out for the Maroons on June 9, it now looks as though it will be off the pine.
Mahoney has flourished in 2021 with Parramatta and has placed Green with a selection headache for hooker duties, but the Eels gun will now be handed his maiden Maroons jumper.
Queensland great Cameron Smith toldย SENย earlier this month that he would start Mahoney at dummy-half over Grant.
โYouโd start with Reed, heโs tough โฆ heโs made 60-odd tackles plenty of times in his career, itโs going to take that in the Origin arena,โ Smith said.
โHeโs got great service from dummy-half, heโs got a pretty good running game and a kicking game as well.โ
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Green is set to name his extended 20-man side on Monday, with the selection of a number of players currently up in the air due to injury and suspensions.
Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster (foot) will need to prove his fitness in QLD's campo, while teammate Felise Kaufusi will need his NRL Judiciary appeal successful after being handed a one-game ban for tripping in Round 12.
Fullback Kalyn Ponga is also in a race against the clock to be fit to face the Blues in the series opener, with a groin complaint keeping him out of the Knights' clash with Manly on Sunday.
The Courier Mailย reports that out-of-favour Rabbitohs forward Jaydn Su'A will likely get a nod on the bench alongside Grant and Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika.
Joe Ofahengaue and Coen Hess are also fighting for a bench place and both could be named should Kaufusi remain suspended.
NSW named their 19-man side for next week's series opener, which remains scheduled for the MCG.
