KNIGHTS star Dane Gagai has been named on the right wing for Queensland in the opening State of Origin against NSW at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.
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Gagai was considered a certainty for the Maroons after scoring five tries in four Origin games, but there was speculation that the 26-year-old may switch to the centres to accommodate the return of champion Melbourne fullback Billy Slater on the wing.
However, Maroons selectors snubbed Slater, again handing incumbent Darius Boyd the No.1 Queensland jersey.
Gagai, who is poised to announce he is moving to South Sydney next season, will be the only Knights player involved in game one.
Coach Kevin Walters had initially hinted that Slater - 34 next month - would return at fullback after a successful comeback this season from a second shoulder reconstruction.
Champion playmaker Johnathan Thurston has been named as 18th man with Walters earlier conceding he was highly unlikely to be fit to play due to a shoulder injury.
Brisbane's Anthony Milford has been named to debut at five-eighth in place of Thurston.
The NSW team will be named on Monday night.
Queensland: 1 Darius Boyd, 2 Corey Oates, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Justin O’Neill, 5 Dane Gagai, 6 Anthony Milford, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Dylan Napa, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 Nate Myles, 11 Josh Papalii, 12 Matt Gillett, 13 Josh McGuire, 14 Michael Morgan, 15 Sam Thaiday, 16 Aidan Guerra, 17 Jacob Lillyman, 18 Johnathan Thurston