The door is ajar for Parramatta forward J'maine Hopgood to secure a Queensland debut this year - and Maroons chairman of selectors Gene Miles wants him to bash it down.
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The 24-year-old was named as 19th man in game three of last year's State of Origin series by Maroons coach Billy Slater after a stellar season for the Eels where he played every game.
Hopgood averaged 123m in attack and 40 tackles per match in 2023 for the Eels, mostly at lock.
He scored a barnstorming try in last week's trial win over Gold Coast to start the season on fire after being earmarked as a Maroon since his junior days.
The Maroons have Tino Fa'asuamalaeaui, Patrick Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, Moeaki Fotuaika, Thomas Flegler, Jai Arrow and others in a blue-chip middle forward rotation.
North Queensland's Reuben Cotter proved he could play on an edge or in the middle on his way to winning the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series in the Maroons' 2-1 series win last year.
Hopgood has previously played for Queensland under 18s and 20s sides.
"J'maine is an Origin player and we identified him way before last year," Maroons great Miles told AAP.
"We had to get him in the squad and he came in as 19th man to get a feel of it at the end of last year's series.
"He will definitely be in the running this season and we just want him to keep doing what he has been in clubland, because that has impressed the coach.
"That is the most important thing and why Billy whacked him into the squad to start with. He could get called on at any time."
The Eels didn't make the top eight last year but Hopgood was one of their best.
"It just goes to show the quality of the player," Miles said.
"They didn't go as well as they would have liked but J'maine performed week-in and week-out. The tough get going when the going gets tough and he did everything he needed to in order to impress us."
The Eels start their NRL season at home against Canterbury on March 9.
The Maroons and Dolphins received a blow when inspirational lock Tom Gilbert ruptured an ACL in a pre-season trial. Gilbert played in game one of last year's Origin series in Adelaide where he suffered a shoulder injury that ruled him out for the season.
"Tom was always going to be a 10-year Origin player after he played his first game," Miles said.
"Billy Slater loves him and has huge wraps on him, as we all do. This is another setback for him but he is very disciplined and very strong.
"It may be another 12 months before Tom is back but he is an Origin player every day of the week.
"We all admired the way he made an impression from the moment he stepped into camp."
Australian Associated Press
