Queensland Maroons strike weapon Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been cleared to take his place in Wednesday’s State of Origin series launch, after giving coach Billy Slater a huge injury scare.
The Dolphins star suffered a knock to his knee on Sunday as the side completed an opposed training session on the Sunshine Coast, with Slater admitting he was briefly concerned he may lose his famed speedster.
“The Hammer” has proved to be one of the Maroons’ attacking linchpins, scoring nine tries in his seven Origin appearances, the most famous being his match-winning heroics in Adelaide when his team was down a man in 2023.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been cleared to play on Wednesday night.
His absence could have robbed pundits of an enthralling centre battle with New South Wales counterpart Stephen Crichton, who missed the Blues’ captain’s run with a quad complaint and will reportedly be given until Wednesday morning to prove his fitness.
But at the end of a camp that came with its fair share of concerns – Pat Carrigan’s facial surgery on the eve of selections, and Kalyn Ponga’s delayed arrival due to severe weather in Newcastle – Slater confirmed his superstar was in no doubt.
“I must admit, I held my breath for a couple of seconds, but he just got a bit of a bump. He pulled through it fine,” Slater said on Tuesday. “It was just a bit of contact, he’s all right.
“Thankfully, for not just Queensland but the Dolphins and Hamiso in general, he’s OK.”
Much of the fanfare surrounding the Maroons’ selections has been dominated by the comebacks of five-eighth Cameron Munster and prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who both missed the 2024 series defeat through injury.
But according to Queensland coaching great Paul Vautin, Tabuai-Fidow’s inclusion gave the Maroons’ their biggest chance of wrestling back the Origin shield.
Vautin inspired the 1995 “Neville Nobodies” outfit to a shock triumph, and was adamant if the Maroons were to orchestrate a Brisbane boilover, they would need to ensure Tabuai-Fidow was used as much as possible.
Vautin revealed his preference would have been for Tabuai-Fidow to be chosen at fullback, with Valentine Holmes moving to centre and Kalyn Ponga reverting to the bench.
But he said the point of difference he would bring with his speed, and the way he was able to use it, would be the one challenge the Blues simply could not match, or defend.
“To me, Hammer is the difference between the two teams because he’s got speed,” Vautin told this masthead.
“That speed of his is fantastic. Some players are fast, but it doesn’t relate to them on the footy field. He just glides across the field, and I think he can be the difference for us.
“If we make six breaks, we’ll be lucky – we would have worked hard for them. But if Hammer’s there on the outside cruising, we’re going to get six tries.”
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