2016 State of Origin

Fears ease over Thurston's fitness

While all members of the squad took part in the session Thurston did skip some of the tackling drills but ran freely and did plenty of kicking practice, showing few ill effects from the hard knock he copped from Queensland teammate Josh McGuire in the Cowboys-Broncos classic last Friday night.

It wouldn't be a Queensland Origin camp without an 'injury scare' of some sort but Inglis rejected the notion that it in any way would put Thurston in doubt for Game One of the 2016 Holden State of Origin Series at ANZ Stadium. 

"It's just a bruise, he'll get over it," Inglis said.

Kicking game to drive Blues home

The cry came from a Blues teammate as new halfback Adam Reynolds, from 30 metres out, stabbed a kick towards the in-goal of the Novotel Pacific Bay Resort training field literally minutes into the Blues' first training run of the camp, on Wednesday afternoon.

The Steeden jagged past the try-line, popped up off its point then stopped dead perhaps a metre from the dead ball line and a metre inside the touch in goal line, drawing raucous cheers from the players riding the play or perhaps jeering the naysayer (from the volume, we'll assume it was Andrew Fifita).

McGuire's inspiration behind Origin return

Having been a member of the Maroons for the first two games of the series, McGuire was confined to the role of cheerleader in the decider having ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for the Broncos against the Knights.

Eleven months on and he has come back a smarter and leaner player than before and said that the lure of another Queensland jersey was a major motivator throughout the torturous rehabilitation process.

Updated: NSW Blues side named for Origin I

Josh Morris and Tyson Frizell were released from the original 19-man squad on Wednesday afternoon and will be free to play in the NRL this weekend for their respective clubs before re-joining the NSW side on Monday.

Four debutants have been named, with Josh Mansour, Matt Moylan, Adam Reynolds and Dylan Walker to have their first taste of State of Origin football if selected in the final side.

Morris and Frizell released by NSW

The pair will return to their respective clubs to play this weekend before re-entering the NSW VB Blues camp in Sydney on Monday.

Daley is yet to settle on the starting line-up with the team having completed their first training session at Coffs Harbour this afternoon. 

New South Wales VB Blues squad for Holden State of Origin Game One

Walker admits shock over Origin selection

Walker was moving into his new apartment at the time of Daley's call which only added to the excitement of the day.

While ultimately stoked by his selection, the 21-year-old Australian international admitted he hadn't been in the best form of late for the Sea Eagles.

Walker is hoping his Origin debut will do him the world of good in what has been a tough initiation in the halves since his off-season move to the Northern Beaches.

Thurston gives thumbs up for Origin

Now its seems there are two more - field goals decide North Queensland-Brisbane NRL derbies and nothing will stop Johnathan Thurston from playing State of Origin.

Thurston is on track to play a record 34th straight Origin game for Queensland on June 1 after dismissing hip injury concerns in the wake of a third consecutive derby decided by one point.