{"id":743169,"date":"2026-06-17T22:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T22:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/743169\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T22:22:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T22:22:11","slug":"cant-leave-out-munsters-huge-hint-on-maroons-selection-headache-with-big-force-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/743169\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Can\u2019t leave out\u2019: Munster\u2019s huge hint on Maroons\u2019 selection headache with \u2018big force\u2019 change"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maroons skipper Cameron Munster has hinted that there will be room for Tom Dearden in the Queensland squad for the Suncorp decider despite the scorching hot form of Sam Walker.<\/p>\n

Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n

Dearden, last year\u2019s Wally Lewis Medal winner, has been sidelined with an ankle injury for the last month, opening the door for Walker at Origin level.<\/p>\n

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The Roosters half has seized the opportunity and some. He was one of Queensland\u2019s best in the Game I loss before starring with a man of the match performance<\/a> in the Maroons\u2019 44-24 win to even the series at the MCG.<\/a><\/p>\n

At this stage, Walker would be the short-priced favourite to win player of the series \u2013 the award Dearden won last year. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going good. He\u2019s going outstanding. Queensland\u2019s in good hands,\u201d Munster said post game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s still a massive ceiling for Sammy. What is he two games in? He\u2019s a special talent and I\u2019m excited to play alongside him.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Walker in such a rhythm, you\u2019d have to think coach Billy Slater will keep him in the No. 7 jersey but if Dearden gets through the next fortnight unscathed, will the Cowboys half win a spot back on the bench?<\/p>\n

Billy on impressive 2nd half thrashing | 11:37<\/p>\n

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Again, how Dearden performs at club land off ankle surgery will obviously be key, but according to Munster, it appears he\u2019s definitely in Slater\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got Tommy Dearden coming back as well, so the three of us could be a big force. So we\u2019ll see how we go and how we manage that,\u201d Munster said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t see why it (a combination of Munster, Walker, Dearden) wouldn\u2019t work. You can\u2019t leave out Tommy Dearden. The Wally Lewis Medal winner, so we\u2019ll find room for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

The logical decision would be to pick Dearden in the No. 14 jersey. He was effective in a super sub role for Queensland in Game I last year before replacing the axed Daly Cherry-Evans at halfback for the Games II and III. <\/p>\n

If Slater goes in that direction, Reece Walsh becomes the likely casualty. <\/p>\n

Walsh was on the six-man bench last night but wasn\u2019t utilised.<\/p>\n

Dearden hasn\u2019t been named in the Cowboys\u2019 squad for their clash in New Zealand against the Warriors this weekend but is earmarked to return for the Panthers blockbuster Saturday week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Maroons skipper Cameron Munster has hinted that there will be room for Tom Dearden in the Queensland squad…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":743170,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-743169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=743169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743169\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/743170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=743169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=743169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=743169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}