AJ and Phil get Origin boost

TITANS pair AJ Brimson and Phillip Sami will have their Origin potential rubberstamped this week when they are named in Queensland’s Emerging Origin squad.

Gold Coast’s duo will be joined by boom Broncos backrower Jaydn Su’A, who will follow the lead of Kalyn Ponga and pledging his allegiance to the Maroons.

Su’A will be among a host of new faces to be named as coach Kevin Walters looks to safeguard the Maroons against a NSW uprising.

The 2019 Emerging Maroons will be unveiled as early as today.

The 20-year-old Brimson – whose idol is Broncos legend Darren Lockyer – had a superb 2018 rookie season, scoring seven tries from 15 games. He is capable of playing fiveeighth or fullback.

Titans teammate Sami, 21, underlined his potential last season with 14 tries from 23 games, including a sublime hat-trick in Gold Coast’s shock derby defeat of the Broncos.

For the second consecutive year, Walters has trumped New Zealand by winning a tugof-war for Su’A, just 12 months after young gun Ponga resisted the overtures of the Kiwis to declare his loyalty to Queensland.

Born in Christchurch, Su’A is eligible for the Kiwis, but has opted to chase a senior Maroons jumper after watching his good mate Ponga break into the Origin arena last season.

The 21-year-old Su’A played 15 NRL games for the Broncos in 2018 and will headline a posse of Maroons hopefuls for the three-day Emerging Origin camp from January 17-19.

Walters named just 11 players last season – one of the smallest outfits in the Emerging Origin concept’s 17-year history – but he is expected to unveil a 14 or 15-man squad this year.

Others who will join Su’A in the Emerging Maroons include Melbourne halfback Brodie Croft.

It is understood emerging Cowboys playmaker Jake Clifford will be named in the squad, while Su’A’s Broncos colleague Joe Ofahengaue will also be selected as he inches closer to an Origin debut.

Queensland selectors considered blooding Ofahengaue in Origin III this season but he just missed out, giving the Broncos forward added incentive for a bumper 2019 season.

Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt is also expected to make the squad, with Walters considering his wing options following Valentine Holmes’ shock decision to quit the NRL to chase his American football dream.