Rumours are doing the rounds on Twitter that it will be announced later tonight, that Willie Tonga will join the Queensland side in camp for Game 2.
It is unclear if this is to cover for Greg Inglis or Justin Hodges but if it is true, it is a great reward for Tonga who has not played representative football since late 2012.
As the squad is yet to be announced it's not yet known if he will join the squad this week or after Parramatta's match against the Bulldogs on Sunday.
Breaking: Willie Tonga called into Qld Origin team for first time since 2011.
— Todd Balym (@toddbalym) June 9, 2014
PARRAMATTA centre Willie Tonga will be the shock Queensland selection when coach Mal Meninga finally announces an extended State of Origin II squad.
Tonga has been ushered into camp in Brisbane with serious injury concerns hanging over superstar centre Greg Inglis, fullback Billy Slater and halfback Daly Cherry Evans.
Fellow incumbent centre Justin Hodges is due to play for the Broncos tonight and after recent ankle and achilles troubles, there are concerns over how much training the veteran centre will be able to achieve in the 9 days between club action and Origin II in Sydney on June 18.
Tonga has played seven Origins for the Maroons — his last in 2011 when Queensland beat NSW 16-12 at Suncorp Stadium.
The makeup of the Queensland squad is shrouded in secrecy with the Maroons making the decision to delay naming their team by four hours earlier today.
With major injury concerns over several members in the squad, and an NRL game in Canberra tonight involving the Brisbane Broncos, Meninga made the call to delay to announcement out of a fear of upsetting Brisbane and Canberra.
Instead the Maroons will announce their team via a statement on the Queensland Rugby League website at 8pm — approximately half-time of the Monday night NRL clash between the Raiders and Broncos.
It is believed up to six players from that game will be named in a 21-man squad today, with Broncos halfback Ben Hunt the new face added to the Maroons squad as injury cover for Daly Cherry Evans.
“The Queensland Rugby League (QRL) wish to advise all media that the team announcement media opportunity planned for today has been cancelled,” the QRL said in a statement.
“To minimise potential disruption to teams competing in Monday night football, an extended Maroons squad will be announced at approximately 8pm on QRL.com.au following half-time of the final NRL match of Round 13.”
What makes the QRL late change bizarre is the fact it completely opposes what they did when naming their Origin I side three weeks ago.
The Maroons named an Origin I team just after 6.30pm at a corporate function at Suncorp Stadium, just half an hour before Manly’s Cherry Evans and Newcastle’s Darius Boyd ran out for a NRL game at Brookvale Oval.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/eels-centre-willie-tonga...
Replies
Haha blues have it in the bag that guy is hopeless. He has been alright for us this year but gee he isn't SOO level anymore.
I would be soooooooo pissed if he goes and gets injured. Hope he doesn't play. Saw it coming a mile away thou.
Good luck to Willie. Bad luck for the Eels this week. Do I see a repeat of the Panthers game?
"Tonga makes a break down field with Hoppa in hot pursuit.
Wait a minute, Matt Scott has caught up in support and scores under the posts".
LOL
REPLIES TO THIS DISCUSSION
Btw sorry Super, but i found a confirmed article.
I'll move it into the same blog.
WOW .... surely Dane Gagai and Will Chambers would be more logical choices than Willie Tonga. Although Tonga has more experience when it comes to these games.
Yes and in future years maybe next season Parra may even have Pauli Pauli playing for NSW.
...and Seffa. ;)
If QLD have not announced a team yet, how is Tonga and the boys getting off the team bus?
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