Just because Daly Cherry-Evans is available for State of Origin selection does not mean that the Maroons should pick him again.

Queensland coach Billy Slater has three top-line playmakers to choose from when he has to finalise his team for the series opener at Suncorp Stadium on May 28.

On balance, Cherry-Evans should be no sure thing to retain his spot at halfback even though he is the skipper, even though he has been the skipper of the side for the past six years.

He is the oldest player in the NRL and although his game management is still among the best in the game, among the best in the business, at 36 he is very much in the twilight of his career.

Tom Dearden was superb for Queensland in the Origin arena last year and kicked on to earn his first Kangaroos jerseys at the Pacific Championships at season’s end.

Cameron Munster is also back on the Origin radar and he has been mostly brilliant for the Storm in their 5-2 start to the season after his 2024 campaign was hampered by a serious hip injury.

Going on form alone, it’s a close-run thing for Slater to choose between his playmaking trio although he seems to be content with giving Cherry-Evans another run.

Dearden has plenty of experience playing halfback from his days at the Broncos and has assumed the mantle of North Queensland’s chief on-field organiser, taking possession more than Jake Clifford who is their designated halfback.

He averages 52.4 touches per game, which ranks him third among NRL five-eighths – a combination with Munster could be the key for Slater to unlocking a bounce-back series after they squandered a 1-0 lead last year, surrendering the shield on home turf in game three.

DCE’s time as Queensland halfback would have probably come to an end by now either voluntarily or via a tap on the shoulder if not for Sam Walker being unavailable after the Roosters star tore his ACL at the end of last season.

He’s not due back for another six weeks. An Origin debut is a bridge too far this year but if he makes a full recovery and regains the form that he was displaying last year before his injury struck, he will be Queensland’s next long-term No.7.

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

As far as inheriting the captaincy from Cherry-Evans, there are a few strong options on the table for Slater with Storm skipper Harry Grant, Brisbane’s Patrick Carrigan and Titans leader Tino Fa’asuamaleaui the main candidates.

Despite his age, Cherry-Evans is likely to walk into a two-season deal when he announces where he will play next year with the Roosters the red-hot favourites to land his signature.

Even though Sandon Smith is developing into a more than handy NRL playmaker, the Roosters have shown in the past that they won’t be afraid to move a player on or relegate them to the bench if they think there’s a better option.

Mitchell Pearce was an Origin halfback himself in 2018 when they signed Cooper Cronk and offered him a token interchange utility spot but he saw the writing on the wall and headed north to Newcastle.

The Dolphins are considered the only other team that is publicly still in the race for DCE’s signature, but until the Bulldogs ink a deal for halfback Toby Sexton or Cronulla lock in the unsigned member of their spine, fullback Will Kennedy, speculation will linger.

It would be very on brand for Phil Gould to wangle a deal with Cherry-Evans despite saying they were not in the hunt and while it would take plenty of salary cap gymnastics, but if the Sharks were able to nab the Manly veteran and shift Nicho Hynes to fullback, they would have one of the best spines in the NRL.

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The rest of Queensland’s spine is relatively settled – with Reece Walsh rehabbing a knee injury, Kalyn Ponga is a walk-up start at fullback and even though Grant will miss another couple of weeks with a hamstring problem, he will be their hooker unless he suffers a setback.

Broncos veteran Ben Hunt has not been at his best at five-eighth after making the switch from St George Illawarra and Slater faces a tough call with the 35-year-old about whether to keep him in the squad or replace him with a younger option like Reed Mahoney or Max Plath.

Queensland’s pack should be much stronger with Fa’asuamaleaui and Dolphins captain Tom Gilbert back after their 2024 calendar was pretty much wiped out by injury.

Slater has a mountain of middles with Carrigan, Reuben Cotter, Moeaki Fotuaika, J’maine Hopgood and Trent Loeiro also banging down the selection door but when it comes to edge forwards, the cupboard is rather bare.

Jeremiah Nanai is getting back to top form at the Cowboys after he was punted to Queensland Cup at the start of the year while Titans fading star David Fafita missed out on the Gold Coast 17 man line-up altogether for Magic Round this Sunday against Canterbury in a sign of how far his value has decreased under Des Hasler.

Warriors veteran Kirk Capewell was told he was surplus to requirements at the start of last series but earned a recall along with Knights old-stager Dane Gagai at centre for game three when injuries struck but Slater would be better served going with younger options like Dragons second-rower Jayd’n Su’A and Titans forward Beau Fermor, who has previously been part of Queensland’s extended squad.

Out wide Xavier Coates, Valentine Holmes, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are automatic selections with the likes of Murray Taulagi, Selwyn Cobbo and maybe a bolter like Raiders speedster Xavier Savage snaring a wing spot.