Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga will wear the No.1 jersey for Queensland in Origin One with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in the centres and Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh overlooked.
Speculation had been strong that coach Billy Slater would slot Ponga into the halves alongside Cameron Munster due to the absence of Tom Dearden through injury.
Ponga played fullback in the opening two games of last year's series before missing Game Three due to a foot injury, with Tabuai-Fidow taking over the No.1 jersey in the decider.
Eight of Ponga’s 10 games for the Maroons have been at fullback, the other two being off the bench when he debuted in 2018 in a roving lock role.
Tabuai-Fidow has scored 11 tries in 10 Origin appearances mainly at centre.
Queensland were forced to make changes with four players unavailable through injury – winger Xavier Coates (Achilles), prop Josh Papalii (calf), back-rower Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder) and halfback Dearden (ankle).
Jojo Fifita (Titans), Sam Walker (Roosters), Max Plath (Dolphins) and Briton Nikora (Sharks) are the four debutants named by Slater.
Walker, whose previous representative jumper was with the 2025 Prime Minister’s XIII, has steered the Roosters at halfback for six seasons.
Plath can achieve something his father John Plath wasn’t able to do despite winning four premierships for the Broncos off the bench. And that was to make an Origin team.
Nikora has played 16 Tests for New Zealand but after moving with his family to the Gold Coast at age nine and attending Keebra Park High School, he is now eligible for Queensland due to the Origin rule changes introduced this year.
Fifita has scored five tries in his 10 games for the Titans at centre alongside 24 tackle busts and five line breaks.
There are 14 players from the triumphant 2025 Origin series back to try to retain the shield in 2026.
Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook said on Sunday that Ponga was too good a player to not start for Queensland and would have backed his selection at halfback.
Ponga is also no stranger to playing in the halves and what that entails, having featured at five-eighth for the Knights in the past, as well as for the Māori All Stars.
For Holbrook, his star captain needed to be on the field, no matter the position.
“He's too good a player not to have on the field … I wouldn't have him at 14, you want your best players on the field," Holbrook said.
“He's one of the best players, so you have got to have him on the field. Kalyn, you could put him anywhere and he'd get himself into the game.
“Kalyn is that good a player and no matter where you put him… you always find a spot for the best players.”
