Asiata to take on lock duty

Despite being named in the front row Green said Asiata was likely to play at lock while Jason Taumalolo starts in the front row.

“I want him ( Asiata) to play well at lock,” Green said.

“He’s been mixed and matched around a bit due to injuries in recent weeks.

“We need everyone to knuckle down and just start getting their jobs and their roles right.”

Speculation is swirling around the recovery time frame of Thurston, who suffered a shoulder injury – understood to be a small tear in his rotator cuff – while playing for Australia last weekend.

Recent reports suggest two to four weeks, but Green again refused to bite when asked how long the champion playmaker could be out, let alone if he will be back for game one of State of Origin.

“There’s no point speculating,” Green said.

“It depends on how the shoulder responds.

“Whoever said it was season ending was way off the mark to start with, that wasn’t ever put forward to us.”

Laybutt has been named on the Cowboys’ extended squad, as has Kayln Ponga, and although Green has gone with Thompson there is still a small window of opportunity for Laybutt depending on Granville’s fitness.

“He played well on the weekend, but again going back to experience and looking at our best defensive team that’s probably the reason why we’ve gone the way we have,” Green said. “Jake’s still got to get through tomorrow’s session, it’s not set in concrete just yet, but he ( Laybutt) is not too far away at all.”