Possible rep footy debutants in 2016: Queensland
As the NRL season awaits, I will be looking at three players who could make their representative debuts in 2016. This week I’ll be taking a look at Queensland.
Dylan Napa
Named 18th man for Game I last year, the young Rooster’s prop will be looking to impress new Maroons coach Kevin Walters.
Called up into the Maroon’s emerging origin squad, Walters will be keeping an eye on Napa in the hope he can eventually oust veteran props, Nate Myles and Matt Scott.
At 194cm and 109kg, Napa is a large unit who tackles hard and makes plenty of metres up the field.
With Walter’s given the task of guiding Queensland through a generational shift, he may well look to blood Evans at the expense of Myles or Scott.
Ben Hunt
The grand final was a woeful way for Hunt to finish an excellent season.
Although the incumbent halves Thurston and Cronk are one the greatest pairings Queensland have had, recent Origin series have had a reoccurring theme of Cronk being ruled out of a game due to injury.
Reserve halfback Daly Cherry-Evans has been unable to replicate his good form for Manly at Origin level so far leaving Hunt a good chance to jump ahead of Cherry-Evans in the pecking order.
Possessing a strong running game, Hunt, who already has played three tests for Australia, is likely to pull on the maroon jersey if either Thurston or Cronk are injured.
Cameron Munster
A darkhorse for an Origin call-up, Munster burst onto the scene at fullback for the Storm, after Billy Slater suffered a shoulder injury.
Despite having Walters’ public support, Slater’s body is not as reliable as it has been in previous years, meaning Inglis could shift to fullback. However, Inglis struggled with injuries of his own last year as struggled to consistently make an impact for the Rabbitohs in 2015.
With Munster being equally adept at fullback or centre, there is every chance the youngster could make an appearance in the centres for the Maroons if either Slater or Inglis are ruled out through injury.
