QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga says loyalty remains the primary currency at the Maroons’ selection table as preparations begin to wrest the State of Origin crown back from NSW.

As always, speculation about the make-up of the team for Origin I has generated plenty of debate, with a number of players involved in the Emerging Origin program mounting strong cases for inclusion in the senior squad.

Chief among them have been Cowboys pair Michael Morgan and Gavin Cooper, who have been key weapons in North Queensland’s rapid rise up the NRL ladder.

Morgan in particular has excelled at five-eighth, working as a perfect foil for his halves partner Johnathan Thurston, following up from his breakout season last year at fullback.

His utility value, speed and play-making skills would make him an effective impact player from the interchange bench.

Cooper too brings utility value, being able to cover the back row and backline, and a stack of experience gleaned from a career that has included two stints at the Cowboys, as well as time at the Gold Coast and Penrith.

But his primary asset is as a running back-rower on the left edge, bringing a high work rate and strike power whenever Thurston elects to shift in his direction.

There are also front row contenders like the Roosters young giant Dylan Napa, South Sydney’s Dave Tyrrell and Newcastle’s Korbin Sims, who have both made solid claims with regular starting berths for their clubs and backline stars like Ben Hunt, Dane Gagai and Corey Norman also on the selectors’ radar.

But while Meninga is delighted with the depth of talent available at Queensland’s disposal, standing by the players who have done the job in the past remains a key plank of the Maroons’ Origin philosophy.

“We are certainly very fortunate and very proud that we have so many good players who are not only in good form, but have made it clear they have an overwhelming desire to wear that Maroon jersey,” Mal said.

“The fact that we now enjoy probably the greatest depth of talent of any time in the Origin era shows that the processes we put in place, with things like the Emerging Origin program, were not only the right decisions but have also been extremely effective in maintaining the standards that we expect from Queensland at Origin level.

“But at the same time, Origin for Queenslanders remains a real family-oriented approach. We embrace each other, work for each other and support each other no matter what.

“Part of that is sticking by the players that have done the job for us in the past. It is the way Queensland has always done it, and history has shown that – even when players may not be in the best of form at club level – they are re-energised and can find another gear when they come into that family environment in Origin.

“I am a big believer in loyalty. I like to think that it is harder to get out of the Queensland team than it is to get in it. The players that are proven performers for us deserve that loyalty and respect.”

Despite last year’s series being lost, Meninga says there was no sense in wiping the slate clean and starting again this year.

“I think the team for this year largely picks itself,” he said. “Obviously we have had a couple of changes forced upon us with Ben Te’o and Brent Tate leaving, but last year’s result was never going to mean wholesale changes.

“Why would we? Our players are still the best in the world in their positions, and deserve their chance to correct the ledger from last year.

“A few of them have had slower starts to the year, or have had concerns on the injury front. But I know every one of them would put their hands in the air and say they were not ready rather than go in underdone and put the team performance at risk.

“They have that ownership of the team’s performance, and that is why we have no doubts about selecting them. They deserve our loyalty and we will give it to them, and they will get the job done for us.”