Camp Maroon live blog: Day Four

5:55pm

We can't be serious all the time!

 

5:28pm

4:29pm

Fingers crossed, but winger Valentine Holmes is reporting from Camp Maroon that he's upbeat about injury concerns over teammates Billy Slater, Ben Hunt and Josh McGuire and he reckons they'll be ready for Game I in Melbourne on Wednesday. >> Watch the video

3:38PM

INSPIRATION is never in short supply during Origin, including this from Maroons man mountain Coen Hess: "I think when I was younger, I sort of fell into the trap where coming from Mount Isa I didn't really dare to dream, I didn't really picture myself in the position I am today.

"(But) there's always those little things of fate where she's meant to happen, so no matter what, just keep trying and if it's meant to happen, it's meant to happen," the NQ Cowboy told QRL Media.

3.29PM

Did you know that Maroons centre Will Chambers spent his childhood in the remote NT town of Nhulunbuy; forward Josh Papalii is a cousin of heavyweight boxer Alex 'Lionheart' Leapai; and prop Jarrod Wallace tips the scales at 109kg?

These nuggets and more, including extensive Origin career stats, are available on the updated and refreshed Maroons player profile page at QRL.com.au. >> Check it out

2.51PM

The Fraser Coast is normally bathed in sunshine and on July 3 it also will be awash in maroon when the Queensland State of Origin team hits Hervey Bay for this campaign's regional and rural Fan Day.

As part of the celebrations, the Fraser Coast Regional Council, which is hosting, will re-brand as maroon for the day (Tuesday) and businesses across the region are encouraged to decorate their shopfronts maroon to help welcome the state's flagship team to the Fraser Coast.

"We'll be going maroon wherever possible and we want the entire Fraser Coast to join in with us," said deputy mayor Darren Everard (pictured below).

Read more:

>> The Fraser Coast to turn Maroon for Exclusive Origin Visit

>> Maroons set sail for Fraser Coast 

2:18PM

Wise words from Ben Hunt's proud dad, Geoff: "I have always said to Ben, don't ever forget to be a better person than you are a footballer.

"I think that goes a long way because there is so much talent out there that doesn't go anywhere because they don't know how to handle it," he told News Corp.

Geoff will fly to Melbourne next week to watch his son general the Maroons in the No.7 jersey.

12.36pm

If you missed the live stream of the Valentine Holmes and Josh Papalii press conference, you can view it on this Facebook Live stream.

 

11:38

A fan has just spoken to Greg Inglis, revealing that he cried tears of joy when Inglis was awarded the captaincy.

 

11:35

Valentine Holmes and Josh Papalii will be the two players speaking to the media today. We will have a live stream soon on the QLD Maroons Facebook page.

 

11:30

The squad has split into forwards and backs. New addition Moses Mbye looking particularly sharp in the backs and Dylan Napa doing plenty of work in the forwards.

 

11.13am

The Maroons have put coloured singlets on several players and are defending against them, presumably to nullify key attacking members of the Blues.

 

10:48am

Gavin Cooper has turned to coach Kevin Walters and asked if he can "turn the sun down". Bit rich for a guy who lives in North Queensland!

 

10:45am

The Maroons are in team formation on the paddock and running through their sets. It's clear from the calls they have a few targets in mind when they come up against the Blues.

 

10:40am

A steady assortment of media and interested spectators have been filing in.

 

10.31am

Captain Greg Inglis is the last to join the team on the paddock after receiving some attention on his groin from the physio.

 

10:24am

The extra six players have arrived in camp - Dale Copley, Brenko Lee, Moses Mbye, Anthony Milford, Joe Ofahengaue and Jaydn Su'A.

 

10:12am

The field is looking sensational for training today. Players starting to arrive and stretching out on the foam rollers.

 

7:12am

Love your statistics? Stats guru David Middleton has weighed in with some numbers to watch in Game I of the Holden State of Origin series.

 

6:10am

Today will be the first glimpse we get of Dale Copley, Brenko Lee, Moses Mbye, Anthony Milford, Joe Ofahengaue and Jaydn Su'A as they join Camp Maroon to help bolster the squad. Training gets under way from 10am and we will be live blogging throughout.

 

5:48am

Further news coming out of yesterday's Indigenous training jersey launch was that Dane Gagai backed himself as a goal kicker if called upon by Kevin Walters.

 

5:40am

We're very pleased to see the fantastic reception the new Maroons Indigenous training jersey has been getting, with feedback from its unveiling yesterday overwhelmingly positive.

 

5:25am

Trying to find the links to previous Camp Maroon day blogs?

Day Three blog

Day Two blog

 

5:18am

In case you missed the official 2018 Queensland Maroons team photo taken last night, here it is: