QUEENSLAND coach Billy Slater is hoping Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s shift to fullback can power Queensland to a boil-over victory in Wednesday’s State of Origin decider in Sydney.
Incumbent Maroons number one Kalyn Ponga suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot on club duty with Newcastle, ruling him out of Game Three.
Slater and the Queensland brains trust opted to shift Tabuai-Fidow from the wing to the back, instead of bringing Broncos fullback Reece Walsh into the line-up.
The current coach also began his Origin career in the threequarter line before cementing the fullback position for a decade of Maroons dominance, so he knows what it takes for Tabuai-Fidow to make the move.
“I just think it’s the right fit for the footy team right now, he’s in a great stage of his career,” Slater told media after announcing his selection.
“I don’t think you can make a wrong decision there … Hammer deserves his opportunity in the one jersey.”
Tabuai-Fidow has made a sizzling start to his Origin career, scoring 11 tries from his first nine outings.
The speedster crossed twice in Queensland’s first-half onslaught in Game Two in Perth, opening up a 26-6 half-time lead New South Wales fell just short of assailing.
Only six Queenslanders — Greg Inglis, Darius Boyd, Valentine Holmes, Dane Gagai, Dale Shearer and Slater — have claimed more Origin tries.
But the move to fullback represents Tabuai-Fidow’s biggest test.
Previously deployed at centre or wing in the interstate arena, the 23-year-old now assumes the responsibility he carries at club level for the Dolphins.
The Redcliffe club have been in scintillating recent form, racking up three half-century scores in the month of June — with their star number one leading from the back.
“It is my preferred position,” Tabuai-Fidow told Fox League before Game Three.
“I play that at club land week in, week out, so I’m pretty comfortable with the position.
“It was always a goal, at the back of my head, to wear that number one, and when Billy said that I was going to, it was a dream come true.”
The back-line reshuffle moves Holmes from centre to fill Tabuai-Fidow’s vacant wing spot, and brings Broncos journeyman Gehamat Shibasaki into the centres for his interstate debut.
Canberra enforcer Josh Papalii also answered Slater’s call to return to a Maroons jumper for his first appearance since retiring from Origin in 2022.
“He’s got an aura about him — he’s a real warrior and has been for this footy team for a long time,” Slater said of Papalii, before praising Shibasaki.
“Gehamat’s story is an inspiration … the rise of his game over the last six months has been exceptional.”
Things were much simpler for NSW coach Laurie Daley at the selection table, sticking with the same 17 that went down in Perth.
The only changes he’s pulled all series were forced by injury, with Jarome Luai and Stefano Utoikamanu coming in for Mitch Moses and Mitch Barnett after Game One.
Daley is showing faith in a side that has looked a cut above Queensland for the vast majority of the first two games.
The Blues outscored the Maroons four tries to nil when they had 13 men on the park in the opener in Brisbane, leaking one while Brian To’o sat in the sin-bin.
Queensland then slammed on four tries to one in the first half of the second match, making the most of an 8-0 penalty count, before NSW crossed four times after the restart to almost snatch victory if not for goal-kicking.
Daley is backing the same squad to deliver in Game Three, despite injury niggles to Nathan Cleary (groin), Jarome Luai (illness), Payne Haas (back), Hudson Young (groin) and Brian To’o (knee).
“You’re always weighing up decisions on whether you can improve the side or not, and from what we showed in the second half (in Perth), I don’t think we’ve reached anywhere near what we’re capable of doing,” he said.
“So that’s why I’m confident this group of players, I was keen to select again and give them another chance.”
Roared on by a partisan home crowd at Accor Stadium — where the Maroons have enjoyed just 11 wins and two draws from 33 outings — the Blues are red-hot favourites to take out their second straight series this Wednesday.
BLUES: 1 Dylan Edwards (Panthers), 2 Brian To’o (Panthers), 3 Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), 4 Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), 5 Zac Lomax (Eels), 6 Jarome Luai (Tigers), 7 Nathan Cleary (Panthers), 8 Max King (Bulldogs), 9 Reece Robson (Cowboys), 10 Payne Haas (Broncos), 11 Liam Martin (Panthers), 12 Angus Crichton (Roosters), 13 Isaah Yeo (C) (Panthers). Subs: 14 Connor Watson (Roosters), 15 Spencer Leniu (Roosters), 16 Hudson Young (Raiders), 17 Stefano Utoikamanu (Storm)
MAROONS: 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins), 2 Xavier Coates (Storm), 3 Robert Toia (Roosters), 4 Gehamat Shibasaki (D) (Broncos), 5 Valentine Holmes (Dragons), 6 Cameron Munster (C) (Storm), 7 Tom Dearden (Cowboys), 8 Josh Papalii (Raiders), 9 Harry Grant (Storm), 10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans), 11 Reuben Cotter (Cowboys), 12 Kurt Capewell (Warriors), 13 Trent Loiero (Storm). Subs (all used): 14 Kurt Mann (Bulldogs), 15 Lindsay Collins (Roosters), 16 Patrick Carrigan (Broncos), 17 Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys).