BREAKING: Papa’s Home

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

Big news from North of the Tweed today, as the Queenslanders call upon veteran shot doctor to bring the heat to the NSW Blues – well over a decade after his first wore the Maroon jersey.

The Queensland Maroons have just released their new-look side ahead of the State Of Origin game 3 decider in Sydney next Wednesday – and the Sydney-based NRL media are panicking.

Broncos gun Gehamat Shibasaki will be meditating on his Far North Queensland roots this week, after coach Billy Slater announced he will be making a shock debut to bolster the spine after a cluster of injuries to the side’s playmakers.

Meanwhile, Dolphins try-machine Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has shifted to fullback – and Reece Walsh returns from injury to warm the bench.

However, the biggest news to come out of Billy’s last minute squad selections, is that the veteran Canberra Raiders wrecking ball, Josh Papalii will be donning the Maroon jersey once again.

Papa ended his representative retirement in 2022, but after an exquisite year of football and a string of re-energising personal and professional milestones, he’s back for another dip.

Following an electric game on Saturday night, Papalii’s return to Origin is a no-brainer for the Queensland side.

The 33-year-old ran the ball for 106 metres and made 31 tackles in the Raiders 22-18 win over Newcastle – after the match, Canberra coach Ricky Stuart paid tribute to the iconic Raiders prop – revealing he had missed the birth of his fourth child to play in the freezing cold mid-season match.

As a rare one club player, Papa is now the most capped Raiders player in history, notching 321 matches for the club on Saturday night.

When you combine that record with his representative duties, he has played 370 matches of proffesional rugby league, in one of the most physically demanding roles on the field.

And it looks like the fire still burns deep within this old Logan boy, 12 years after his Origin debut.

The NSW side and their supporters are remaining tight-lipped about Queensland’s game 3 selections, out of fear that they might jinx themselves like they did in the lead up to game 3.

Queenslanders are just begging for the biased NRL media to start referring to the Maroons squad ‘Dad’s Army’ – because that is exactly what it is. Papa’s home.