Two teams sat down for lunch today at Sanctuary Cove, but they quickly united to become one big maroon family.
The Queensland Maroons and the Queensland Under 16s enjoyed a barbeque lunch together after their respective morning work outs on the Gold Coast.
Players and coaching staff from the two sides mingled together over the lunch tables.
At one point, Origin stars Brent Tate, Corey Parker, Nate Myles and Johnathan Thurston were sitting alongside young guns Marshall Hudson, Mitipere Tuatai, Gehamat Shibasaki, Brent Woolf, Lachlan Lam and Reuben Cotter.
Queensland Under 16 coach Kurt Richards sat next to Justin Hodges, while Maroons head coach Mal Meninga enjoyed a chat with junior team manager Murray Hurst.
The mood was nice and relaxed until Maroons prop Matt Scott stood in front of the group to say a few words.
Scott said the Maroons always enjoyed watching the under age representative teams on Origin night.
“It gives us a huge lift when we see you guys out there performing well against New South Wales,” Scott said.
After lunch, the two teams went outside for a group photo.
And as the sun beamed off their maroon shirts, it hit home that this was one determined “team” that will give it everything on Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium.
