Debate may rage over Ben Te’o’s Queensland Origin selection but Maroons coach Mal Meninga has hinted he did not expect it to be an issue for much longer.

In what will raise eyebrows, Te’o was on Monday night named on an extended bench for next week’s State of Origin series opener against NSW in Sydney despite controversy swirling around the South Sydney backrower.

Rabbitohs great John Sattler had led the call for Te’o to be stood down immediately after an NRL probe was launched into assault allegations against him by a 22-year-old woman.

“We are directed by the NRL – there is an ongoing investigation at the moment through the integrity unit,” Meninga said on Monday night.

“I believe the results will come in shortly.

“So we are just governed by those results and we will make a decision when that comes out.”

Te’o was grilled for hours by the NRL’s integrity unit last Thursday over allegations by a Brisbane woman that he punched her in the face last month, fracturing her eye socket.

The NRL’s integrity unit was expected to continue its probe by interviewing Te’o’s Queensland teammate Darius Boyd and Brisbane Broncos fullback Corey Norman who were allegedly in the Brisbane house on the day of the alleged assault.

However, the debate threatened to become a moot point when Te’o appeared to suffer a first-half cork in South Sydney’s NRL clash with Cronulla on Monday night.

A fully fit Te’o, 26, had been expected to make the final cut and run out for his second Origin game when Meninga finalised his 17.

There was speculation Canberra enforcer Josh Papalii had been included in the 19-strong extended squad as cover for Te’o, depending on the results of the NRL integrity panel investigation or injury.

However, Meninga claimed the Raiders wrecking ball was given the nod for “future reasons”.

“This gives him the experience. He’s a good, young kid and playing good footy for the Raiders at the moment – we see him as a future Maroon,” the Queensland coach said.