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Michael Westlake

COWBOY COOPER FINALLY EARNS HIS ORIGIN SPURS

GAVIN Cooper has earned the ultimate reward for perseverance, winning his first Queensland jersey as part of the Maroons team for State of Origin III on July 13.

Cooper, a premiership-winning second-rower with the North Queensland Cowboys, was one of two injury-enforced changes announced by Queensland coach Kevin Walters for Game 3, after the Maroons wrapped up the series with a 26-16 win at Suncorp Stadium in Origin II.

Both Michael Morgan and Josh Papalii were ruled out of contention for selection because of injury, allowing Cooper to earn an Origin debut and Manly’s Nate Myles to earn a recall after he himself missed Origin II because of injury.

Once again, Walters elected to reveal his playing squad alphabetically, given he was still sweating on a final fitness report on Myles.

Despite the 30-Origin veteran’s extended stint on the sidelines, Walters said he had no doubts about Myles being underdone going into the game where Queensland will be looking to wrap-up a rare series clean-sweep.

The match is also shaping as a farewell to a couple of Maroons warhorses, with both Myles and Corey Parker to be playing their last Origin games at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.

The injury to Papalii, while unfortunate for the big Canberra prop, did ease the pressure on Queensland selectors – allowing them to bring Myles back into the fold while at the same time retaining the always consistent Jacob Lilliyman in the pack.

Cooper’s selection was a bit of a surprise, given he had not featured much in the usual pre-selection debate, but Walters said the talented backrower – who can also cover well in the centres if required – was always on the Maroons’ radar.

“He’s just elated,” Walters said of Cooper. “His words were: ‘I though that ship had sailed’ with the Queensland team.

“He’s been a good player for the Cowboys, a great player for the Cowboys, over the distance and it will be great to see him get an opportunity.”

Cooper has been on the Origin radar for a number of years, and is another successful graduate from the Queensland Academy of Sport’s Emerging Origin program.

He has good size and aggression in defence, and brings a match-winning left-side combination with Johnathan Thurston, which has reaped plenty of tries in the NRL.

“We’re picking our best team,” Walters said. “We may have looked to the future a bit but Gav is the best player available at the moment to choose, and everyone is going to be really excited.

“I know him and Johnathan Thurston have got a great relationship and Johnny’s over the moon as well. A lot of players in that Queensland team are really happy to see Gavin get an opportunity.”

NSW also announced their team, and not surprisingly with the series already lost, it was a new look side.

Wade Graham, who was denied an Origin debut in Game 2 because of suspension, has been called up again, while Wests Tigers fullback James Tedesco will also play his first game for the Blues.

While Tedesco’s selection for NSW is probably overdue, the fact he was chosen at the expense of Penrith young gun Matt Moylan was a surprise to many.

Moylan, Gold Coast’s Greg Bird and Manly’s Dylan Walker were the ones to miss out on Laurie Daley’s squad for Game 3.

QUEENSLAND (squad): Darius Boyd, Gavin Cooper, Cooper Cronk, Dane Gagai, Matt Gillett, Aidan Guerra, Greg Inglis, Jacob Lillyman, Josh McGuire, Nate Myles, Corey Oates, Justin O’Neill, Corey Parker, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Sam Thaiday

NSW: James Tedesco, Blake Ferguson, Josh Dugan, Michael Jennings, Josh Mansour, James Maloney, Adam Reynolds, Paul Gallen, Robbie Farah, Aaron Woods, Wade Graham, Josh Jackson, Tyson Frizell. Interchange: Jack Bird, David Klemmer, Andrew Fifita, James Tamou

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