A visit by some of Queensland’s greatest forwards has fired up the Maroons pack ahead of Wednesday’s State of Origin III in Brisbane.
Queensland back-rower Gavin Cooper said Shane Webcke, Petero Civoniceva and Brad Thorn had addressed the forwards early at their Gold Coast camp as the Maroons look to avoid NSW’s first series whitewash since 2000.
Cooper said former Penrith teammate Civoniceva was particularly inspirational after defying critics who called for his head back in 2006 and helping launch the Maroons’ decade of dominance.
Overall Civoniceva went on to play 33 Origins, featuring in Queensland’s 11 series wins in 12 years.
Cooper, 32, can empathise with Civoniceva’s plight with rumours rife that the veteran North Queensland back-rower may be playing his sixth and last Origin on Wednesday.
“I played a lot with Pet at the Panthers. Just to see those guys around the camp, everyone knows what they have been through in the Maroon jersey,” Cooper said on Friday.
“There was a big push for those guys to get pushed out in 2006, and then they started an historic run probably never to be repeated again.
“Just to see them have time for us is pretty special.”
Hard-nosed prop Webcke played 21 Origins from 1998-2004 while dual international Thorn donned the Maroon jersey 11 times until 2005.
Cooper believed Queensland’s current squad had one of their own cut from the same cloth – Canberra wrecking ball Josh Papalii.
Papalii received just his second start in his 12th Origin after moving into a new-look starting front-row with Gold Coast livewire Jai Arrow.
“He’s just tough. He’s one who doesn’t like to talk too much, he just leads by his actions,” Cooper said of the hulking Raiders forward.
“Every time he has put on the Maroons jersey he is leading head first into collisions, that’s just the way he plays.
“He plays tough. As a teammate, you love to see that.”
Queensland completed their second training session at their Gold Coast camp on Friday without incident, a welcome difference to their injury-plagued preparation for the opening two games.
The Maroons will be out to provide stand-in skipper Billy Slater a fitting farewell in his 31st and final Origin.