After ending the Origin series on a positive note, Queensland are now looking to the future as they unearth a new raft of Maroons, following the departure of some of their most iconic champions.
Halfback Daly Cherry-Evans is coming off arguably his best Origin performance on Wednesday night and playmaker Ben Hunt looked lively at hooker.
It's prompted former Maroons player Ben Ikin to name his Queensland Origin spine for 2019 on foxsports.com.au, adding plenty of fresh blood.
“I’m going to go the way of Daly Cherry-Evans for Game One in the No.7 jersey,” Ikin told Fox Sports.
“I liked some of what Ben Hunt did when he came on to replace Andrew McCullough and I’ve got a feeling that’s the way Kevvy Walters might go — he’s just got a bit more creativity.
“Andrew McCullough has been as good as he can be in every chance he’s got for Queensland this year, but perhaps there might be a lean towards Ben Hunt if Daly Cherry-Evans starts which would be mean maybe Morgan starts off the bench.”
Ikin was also excited by what he saw from first-time Queensland representative Kalyn Ponga and five-eighth Cameron Munster.
“My locks for Queensland in 2019 are the fullback and the five-eighth,” Ikin told Fox Sports.
“So Kalyn Ponga will be in the No.1 jersey for me next year, and Cameron Munster will be the five-eighth — how good was he in Game Three?
“Where it gets tricky is off the back of what Daly Cherry-Evans did in a winning Queensland side, does he get the loyalty card dished out to him for Game One next year? That has tended to be the way for Queensland in the past.
“But we’ve got this fly in the ointment sitting in the background is an injured Michael Morgan.
“He’ll come back into the Cowboys fresh and fit next year without Johnathan Thurston — do you remember what Michael Morgan did at halfback last season when Thurston was out? Unbelievable.”
Ben Ikin’s Queensland spine for 2019
Fullback: Kalyn Ponga
Five-eighth: Cameron Munster
Halfback: Daly Cherry-Evans
Hooker: Ben Hunt
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