Tallis wants Chambers over Tate for Qld

State of Origin great Gorden Tallis believes Queensland should call time on veteran outside back Brent Tate’s Maroons career.

The 32-year-old, who has recently signed a one-year contract extension with North Queensland, has been an ever-present for Queensland in the past two Origin campaigns.

Tallis says Tate has done nothing wrong in 21 appearances for his state but he believes the time is right to hand his spot to a younger option.

The ex-Maroon says if it was up to him, he’d be picking Melbourne’s Will Chambers for the May 28 series opener in Brisbane.

“We need big bodies out wide and I think Will Chambers has been in the backblocks for the last couple of years … it’s his time,” Tallis told Brisbane’s Triple M radio station.

“He’s a great defensive guy. He’s a big body coming out of defensive half.”

Veteran back-rower Ashley Harrison was last year overlooked by selectors after Queensland’s game-one defeat, effectively calling time on his 15-game Origin career.

But a similar scenario seems unlikely for Tate, with selectors likely to at least start the series with those they know before making any drastic changes.

One headache for the Maroons is the fitness of Sam Thaiday, who is in doubt for game one as he continues to battle a niggling calf problem.

Tallis believes Sydney Roosters forward Aidan Guerra should be brought into the team if Thaiday isn’t fit, with former Queensland representative Dave Taylor disappointing him during Gold Coast’s 40-18 loss to South Sydney last weekend.

“He disappoints me in the big, tough games,” Tallis said of Taylor.

“It’s not the easy games, it’s the tough games and Origin footy is the toughest game you can play.

“I love Aidan Guerra. He’s playing in a pack at the Roosters which won the comp last year. He’s playing with Sonny Bill Williams and Boyd Cordner and I think, if Boyd Cordner can play for Australia, this guy’s just as good every week.”

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