By Wayne Heming

Queensland coach Billy Slater has stuck with the team which wrapped up the State of Origin series in Brisbane last month to inflict the state’s fifth clean sweep on the Blues in Sydney on Wednesday week.

Slater and his co-selectors Gene Miles and Daren Lockyer have authorised just two forced changes to the 17-man Maroons squad with Titans utility AJ Brimson handed his fourth Origin jumper to replace suspended No.1 Reece Walsh, with Canberra redhead, Corey Horsburgh, the only new face making his debut off the bench for injured forward, Tom Flegler.

North Queensland’s Tom Dearden and 24-year-old Parramatta back-rower J’maine Hopgood are Queensland’s 18^th and 19^th man for the clash against NSW at Accor Stadium.

It will be Hopgood’s first Origin camp but he will be released to play for Parramatta on the weekend.

The only surprise to some may be the omission of young Brisbane wing sensation Selwyn Cobbo on the back of his electrifying three-try performance against the Dolphins at the weekend.

However, Slater was more than satisfied with the efforts of North Queensland’s Murray Taulagi and Cobbo’s  rplacement Xavier Coates in Origin II, to reward both wingers with spots again.

Both Taulagi and Oates scored tries in the series clinching 32-6 win at Suncorp Stadium.

Rather than risk any disruption to the third game preparations Slater has elected not to reshuffle his backline and just name Brimson at fullback.

Brimson made his Origin debut on a winning note at fullback in game one of the 2020 series and was used off the bench in games one and three in 2021.

Slater knows what Brimson brings to the team and is very comfortable with him replacing Walsh who had been outstanding in the first two games.

Queensland enjoyed being able to celebrate the series win in front of more than 52,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium on June 21 and now have the chance to celebrate a series clean sweep in enemy territory to cap off a wonderful performance.

The last time Queensland claimed an Origin clean sweep was back in 2010 when Slater played fullback.

The Queensland squad for Origin 3 at Accor Stadium on July 12 named today is: