Fittler says Thurston will be in fine fettle for years to come

Greg Prichard BRAD Fittler, as good a judge of a five-eighth as there is, says Johnathan Thurston is changing the way five-eighths play and is an even better player in that position than he was as a halfback.

Queensland mull options as Slater is all but ruled out

Greg Prichard GREG INGLIS, Ben Barba, Matt Bowen and Darius Boyd are all in contention to replace Billy Slater as Queensland fullback for State of Origin III after Slater received bad news on the medical front...

League

Bowen is favoured as No.1 pick for fullback

Adrian Proszenko, Greg Prichard Matt Bowen is poised to receive a shock recall to the Origin arena for the deciding game at Suncorp Stadium.

Rugby League

Bowen firming as favourite to replace Slater

Adrian Proszenko and Greg Prichard MATT BOWEN is poised to receive a shock recall to the Origin arena for the deciding game at Suncorp Stadium.

Bowen in box seat as Mal shies away from shifting Inglis to fullback

Greg Prichard QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga has admitted his concern that moving Greg Inglis from centre to fullback would weaken one of his team's strongest areas - and at the same time declared his delight with...

Slater almost certain to miss decider

Greg Prichard and Steve Mascord WHATEVER faint hope there was of Billy Slater recovering in time to play for Queensland in the State of Origin decider appears to be gone, judging by Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy's comments after...

Coach pushing for Carney-Gardner to combine as next dynamic duo

Greg Prichard CRONULLA coach Shane Flanagan has the lofty ambition of trying to turn Todd Carney and Nathan Gardner into his team's version of Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater at Melbourne and Johnathan Thurston and...

Friday games no guarantee of success says Griffin

Greg Prichard BRISBANE coach Anthony Griffin says that knowing his side will play a string of Friday night games doesn't make it any easier for the Broncos to win.