MAROONS

Queensland have gone with the obvious and selected their impressive team on the back of the unprecedented eight series streak that was interrupted last season by the Blues.

Daly Cherry-Evans is in real doubt and our Curtis Woodward believes he will not come up handing Cowboy Michael Morgan his Origin debut.

Josh McGuire finally cracks it for a bench spot while Darius Boyd and Will Chambers will be the wingers.

CONFIRMED QLD SQUAD: Slater, Boyd, Inglis, Hodges, Chambers, Thurston, Cronk, Scott, Smith ©, Myles, Thaiday, Guerra, Parker. Interchange: Cherry-Evans, Gillett, Lillyman, McGuire.

BLUES

The New South Wales Blues have announced their squad for State of Origin I with a couple of surprises.

Will Hopoate grabs a spot on the wing ahead of Alex Johnston while Mitchell Pearce and Trent Hodkinson will be the halves for Game I.

The other real shock comes with the omission of veteran Luke Lewis who makes way for Cronulla team-mate Andrew Fifita.

“We had to leave a few out from last year. When they’re good people it’s always difficult to make that phone call,” coach Laurie Daley said at the announcement.

“We’ve got to uphold the values of what it means to play for NSW on and off the field.”

New skipper Robbie Farah said it was surreal to be named captain.

“It’s a great honour to captain your state,” Farah said.

“With a good group around me I’m sure we can prepare well and give ourselves the best opportunity.”

CONFIRMED NSW SQUAD: Dugan, Tupou, Jennings, J. Morris, Hopoate, Pearce, Hodkinson, Woods, Farah (c), Tamou, Hoffman, Scott, Jackson. Interchange: Merrin, Klemmer, Fifita, Cordner.