QUEENSLAND will throw disgraced Raider Josh Papalii a representative lifeline for Origin I despite his axing from the Australian side for a drink-driving offence.
Maroons coach Kevin Walters said Queensland would rally around Papalii, shunning the hard line stance taken by Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga.
Papalii was due to face the Kiwis in Friday night’s Anzac Test at Canberra’s GIO Stadium before Meninga dumped him following revelations of his alcohol-related breach.
Queensland incumbency is no safety net for Papalii because the hulking back-rower missed the final game of last year’s Origin series with a hip injury.
But The Courier-Mail can reveal Papalii will be selected for Origin I, with Walters saying a stint in Test purgatory is sufficient punishment for the 114kg wrecking ball.
“Josh will be there for Queensland, full stop,” Walters said.
“Obviously we have a selection process to go through and he has to maintain his form, but what’s happened with Australia won’t affect his Origin chances in my eyes.
“Josh has paid a price in my eyes. He will be missing the Test match this week and he’s missing a Raiders game as well, plus he’s received a punishment from the law.
“But the way I feel ... Josh is a guy who has made a silly mistake, but I’m going to stand by him.”
Papalii is in the best form of his career. The 24-year-old is averaging 150 running metres per game this season and, incredibly, has made just two errors in 722 minutes of action.
The hard-hitting Papalii has played six Origin games since his debut in 2013, but Walters believes the Raiders hulk is ready to come of age as an Origin force this season.
“This year, Josh has been playing more minutes at club level, he’s turned into an 80-minute guy, so he is showing a willingness to handle the intensity of NRL football,” he said.
“I know he is dealing with this latest incident, but I noticed a greater maturity in him in last year’s Origin series. He was on the interchange and he and Josh McGuire were our two best forwards in the series.
“You need to be strong mentally to do well in Origin and that was a big step forward for him.
“The scary thing is he is only 24 so his best years are yet to come which is exciting for Josh, the Raiders, Queensland and Australia. He is in the top echelon of players in the game.
“He is in a good system with Ricky (Stuart, Raiders coach) and Dean Pay, they are doing some good things with him and they are developing him nicely.”
After destroying the Titans 42-16 last month, Papalii told The Courier-Mail he was determined to reclaim his Maroons jumper.
“I’d love to be back in the Origin squad again,” he said. “There’s a few weeks left before the side is named so I’m not too worried about it. Hopefully I can keep playing good footy and get into the Maroons side.
“It doesn’t bother me if I start. If my form is good enough for the starting side great, if not, then it doesn’t bother me, I just love being part of the Queensland team.”
