Selectors may be considering halfback Ben Hunt as Queensland’s No.9 but Wayne Bennett says NSW have proven that not picking a specialist rake for State of Origin doesn’t work.

Maroons coach Kevin Walters will finalise his team for the June 6 Origin opener in Melbourne this weekend and claimed St George Illawarra No.7 Hunt may be considered as hooker to fit in all their form playmakers.

Selectors face the daunting task of replacing hooker and skipper Cameron Smith after his recent shock representative retirement before announcing their team on Monday.

Bennett adopted the same practice last season at Brisbane with success, using No.7 Hunt at hooker when Andrew McCullough suffered a season-ending knee injury to help steer the Broncos into the 2017 finals.

However, Bennett believed Queensland’s best bet for Origin I was long serving Broncos rake Andrew McCullough.

Bennett said NSW’s poor record of picking players out of position should deter the Maroons from copying the practice.

Asked if Queensland should pick a non-specialist at hooker, former Maroons coach Bennett said: “It’s not going to work. You don’t play those (non specialist players) at Origin level, you are going to get hurt.

“NSW have done it over a period of time trying to put players in positions that is not theirs.

“I have coached enough Origin games and every time I did that it backfired.

“Get the best player for that position and put him in there.”

McCullough was solid without being spectacular in Brisbane’s 18-10 NRL win over Parramatta on Thursday night but Bennett said the hooker had already done more than enough to earn an Origin debut.

“Like I said to him before the game he’s got nothing to prove to anyone,” Bennett said of McCullough, in his 11th NRL season.

“He’s been doing it for so long and been so good at it, he makes so many tackles and was good from dummy half (against Eels).

“He can’t do any more.

“He’s got an opportunity he probably didn’t think he was going to get this year so it’s up to the selectors now.”