Moeaki Fotuaika played all three State of Origin games in 2021, but he has had no contact with the new Maroons coaching staff in the weeks leading up to this year’s series.
The aspiring Titan confessed hours after new Queensland coach Billy Slater said he had put Cowboys forwards Jeremiah Nanai, Helium Luki, and Reuben Cotter on his radar for the first game on June 8.
After concerns over Covid-19 forced Queensland to cancel its pre-season camp, Slater chose to catch up on hopeful Origins via Zoom.
Fotuaika was one of the players called up but said he hadn’t heard from Slater since.
“I haven’t talked to anyone about Origin or anything like that since the beginning of the year,” the attacker said.
“It was just a Zoom chat… There has been nothing else.”
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Fotuaika’s performance in Magic Round might change that; the prop forward ran for 213m and made 35 tackles in Gold Coast’s gold point defeat of the St George-Illawarra Dragons.
The massive effort helped the Titans break their five-game losing streak and earned Fotuaika two Dally M points.
Fotuaika said he was focused on keeping his form for the Titans, not whether he would have the chance to wear the Maroon jersey again this year.
“I don’t really think about it,” he said.
“I’m just trying to do my job here at the Titans, just play good football every week.
“The rest will come naturally. I don’t think ahead; I just think about the present now.”
Although NSW coach Brad Fittler previously indicated that Cam Murray’s replacement would likely be someone with Origin experience, Slater seemed to have no problem with gory debutants in the first game of the triptych.
He said he noticed more than one uncapped Cowboy in the first 10 rounds of the season.
“The Cowboys definitely took the whole league,” he told SEN.
“Some of the younger guys in (Jeremiah) Nanai, (Heilum) Luki, Reuben Cotter, and Tom Dearden are all doing a great job.
“Their more experienced players like Kyle Feldt and Valentine Holmes thrive with the youth around them.”
Camera IconBilly Slater has succeeded Paul Green as coach of the Maroons. Adam Head Credit: News Corp Australia
Slater said any player eligible for Queensland is suitable for the roster.
‘I have a list of all Queenslanders in an NRL book,’ he said.
“I know who the Queenslanders are and how they play.”
Slater said he and the rest of his coaching staff would consider the earlier form, which could bode well for Fotuaika.
“You have to earn every chance to play for Queensland,” Slater said.
“It certainly takes into account what you’ve done in the past.
“You will fall back on the actions you show every week.
“That’s very important, the habits you’re building into the game.
“It will tell me, the selectors, and everyone else in Queensland how much you want to play.”