Renouf: My Maroons team for Origin - Arrow, Holmes can fix problem areas

Jai Arrow and Valentine Holmes are the two guys who can step up to solve Queensland’s biggest selection problems when Paul Green names his first Origin team in two weeks.

With Josh Papalii to miss Origin I with suspension I think Jai is the guy who needs to start alongside Christian Welch in the front row.

Arrow offers the team so much with his commitment and aggression. He has experience in this arena and I know he has been so good off the bench for South Sydney, but they need to bite the bullet and start him in Origin.

I’m a massive fan of our front row. I like the way they play and don’t stop. Welch is as tough as they come - he is not very complicated with the way he plays but he just gets in and does the job every time.

Arrow is a bit more dynamic, he can play big minutes and he is a massive competitor. He won’t let you down.

Queensland’s big problem is who to play at centre. Dane Gagai is the obvious selection but honestly I would give Valentine Holmes a crack at the other spot.

Val is coming into some really good form at the Cowboys. It’s taken him a little while to find his feet again but he is in form now and you can see his confidence growing every week with his running game.

He has played Origin several times. He has always shown an ability to step up at this level so I think he could handle the challenge of playing centre.

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You would almost consider Holmes at fullback, but if Kalyn Ponga can overcome his injury then he will be Queensland’s No.1 without a doubt with Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves.

The injuries to a few key players certainly makes it a bit harder for Paul Green to pick his first team, but I don’t think he will be too concerned.

Guys like Ponga, Munster and Harry Grant know what it takes to play Origin and even if they’re not 100 per cent, they will step up and do the job. This is Origin we’re talking about, we’ve pulled players out of hospitals in the past to play these games so this will be no different.

We’re Queenslanders and these guys are professional enough to get themselves ready to step up for that one game.

That’s why I wouldn’t even think twice about naming Grant ahead of Reed Mahoney.

Reed is a good young player, but Grant’s record speaks for itself with what he has already done for the Maroons and what we’ve seen him produce in his games for the Storm this year.

He played such a big role in Queensland winning that decider last year but that performance didn’t shock me, I sort of knew he was capable of doing that from the way he started his NRL career.

Harry came into the NRL with this immediate ability to impact games so I thought he could step up and carry on like nothing has changed.

He doesn’t seem fazed about who is around him or the occasion. If he is close enough to fit he will handle Origin.

With Val in the centres, I thought Corey Oates may have been a chance at wing because he has played Origin before but he's been dropped by the Broncos so I think they will pick Kyle Feldt.

He has been close to Origin a few times and seems to be having a good season at the Cowboys and Greeny knows what he is going to get from Kyle.

Jaydn Su’A and Kurt Capewell will definitely be on my bench. Capewell offers so much versatility while Su’A has the aggression you need in Origin.

With Lindsay Collins out injured they need another front-rower to come off the bench and for mine it’s between Moeaki Fotuaika or Jarrod Wallace and I actually think Greeny will go with Jarrod.

He has played better than he has for a while at the Titans this season and with his offload and experience in this arena he might just be the guy they go with for Origin I.

My smoky who I think can play a bit of utility is Jamal Fogarty. You need someone who can cover a few positions on your bench and I love the way Jamal has been playing so he deserves a shot.

He’s got a good head on him, he has a strong kicking game and he can offer that utility off the bench like Ben Hunt has done in the past.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Sam Walker is brought in as 18th man or part of the extended squad this year.

He is playing so well and they have to bring those kids in at some point to let them learn about Origin and experience what it is all about.