Justin Hodges will join Camp Maroon this weekend as Queensland steps up preparations for Game I in Sydney.
Hodges retired from the representative arena after the Maroons’ emphatic victory over the Blues last year, but new Queensland coach Kevin Walters believes the former Bronco still has plenty to offer.
The veteran of 24 Origin matches will join a number of other Maroons hopefuls and young talent from Intrust Super Cup club the Sunshine Coast Falcons for a run against the current squad on Sunday.
The opposed session will be Queensland’s last training run at Sanctuary Cove before the team departs for Sydney on Monday.
Hodges is also fulfilling a key role this weekend as a mentor with Queensland’s Under 16 team, which plays the young Blues in the Origin curtain-raiser.
Walters has also drafted additional players into camp to assist with this afternoon’s training session.
Jacob Lillyman (18th man), Daly Cherry-Evans, Chris McQueen, Brenton Lawrence, Nene Macdonald, Felise Kaufusi and former Maroon Scott Prince will all take the field today.
