The door is ajar for Brendan Piakura to prove he can be a regular second-row starter for Brisbane and coach Michael Maguire wants him to bash it down.
The 22-year-old, who has come off the bench in the opening four matches, will play his first starting match of the season against Wests Tigers on Saturday due to the two-week suspension of Jordan Riki.
Queensland great Cooper Cronk said this week on Fox League's 'Matty and Cronk' that Piakura was his pick as one of the next cabs off the rank to play State of Origin football.
The Maroons are hopeful that Piakura, who was in the extended Origin squad last year and in camp with the team, can play regular NRL and put himself in the frame as a contender to play in this year's Origin series.
The loss of North Queensland back-rower Heilum Luki for the season with an ACL injury has ruled him out of the Origin series. Luki was also in camp with the Maroons last year.
The underwhelming form of Cowboys and Maroons back-rower Jeremiah Nanai, who was dropped earlier in the season, has also opened a door for Piakura to make a statement.
He must do that now, starting with the Tigers at Suncorp Stadium.
"Brendan has been great," Maguire said.
"Unfortunately I have a few guys I have to select from and the way Brendy has gone through his pre-season he has grown a lot and I'm looking forward to seeing that displayed on the park.
"It gives me great headaches. I have a good depth of player but Brendan is a very good player and looking forward to jumping in with his mates."
Piakura has had a somewhat enigmatic career in 37 NRL games.
His explosive hole running and excellent defensive timing rose to the fore at the end of 2023 when he also played in the grand final. Last year he was a regular in the side although his form dipped at the end of the season.
Maguire chose to start this season with journeyman forward Jack Gosiewski and keep Piakura as an impact player.
Former NSW coach Maguire said Origin selection was not beyond Piakura who was learning a lot being around current and former Origin stars such as Ben Hunt, Adam Reynolds, Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas.
"I think he is learning the game at a different level with the players around him," he said.
"I have enjoyed watching Brendy. He is pretty diligent on working on his game. If you apply that, those (Origin selection) sorts of things tend to sort themselves out when you have rep teams in front of you.
"But we have to get the job done here so people do look at him."
Maguire has chosen former St George Illawarra forward Jaiyden Hunt on the bench as back-row depth and said the hard-working ethos of the 26-year-old was key to his selection.
Maguire had a tough time in three and a half seasons coaching Wests as the club finished ninth, 11th and 13th in the completed years he was mentor.
"I very much live in the now," he said.
"I am really enjoying coaching these boys and what they are doing at training. I'm not looking back."
