Soft spot for great state mates

COREY Parker says the pain of a grand final loss on Sunday would be blunted a little by the fact the winners were another Queensland team.

While none of the grand final contestants is playing for second, the element of goodwill stirring through Queensland for the Broncos-Cowboys showdown is felt to some extent among the players.

There will be eight present Queensland Origin players on the field in the grand final, three from North Queensland and five from the Broncos, with the Cowboys also fielding one former Maroon, Ben Hannant.

Asked if the feeling of intense disappointment after a grand final loss would be less because the opponent is a Queensland team, Parker said: “Absolutely … at no stage do you want to lose a grand final, regardless of who you are playing against.

“Just because you are playing against each other doesn’t mean you don’t have respect and mateship for those blokes.

“For 80 minutes, you are enemies. At the end of the game, we (Origin players) are mates as per usual. It’s the beautiful thing about rugby league.’’

Parker, in a grand final for the first time since he was in Brisbane’s 2006 premiership team at the age of 24, would be acting captain if Justin Hodges is suspended tonight.

“You can’t replace a guy like Hodgo,’’ Parker said. “What we will do (if Hodges is banned) is what we have done all year – if someone is not able to play, someone else will come in and do the job.’’

While Hodges, a Queensland and Australian junior representative teammate, is on the verge of retirement, Parker, 33, intends to fulfil his 2016 contract with Brisbane.

If the Broncos win, Parker says he does not want to retire on the high of a premiership triumph.

Queensland’s 2015 Wally Lewis Medallist for best Origin player is open to playing on in 2017, when he will turn 35 during the season.

“I’m contracted to the end of next year,’’ Parker said. “The end is near. It’s not there just yet. When it comes around next year, if the club wants to keep me and I think I’m worthy of playing on (in 2017), we’ll discuss it then.

“If may be an option to (negotiate during the coming off-season), or whether it’s February, March, or June.

“This year has been an amazing ride. To come to where we are as a side has been a hell of a journey and it gets better.’’