LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
In a challenging night for the Maroons, debutant Robert Toia emerged as a standout performer in their 18-6 loss, which coach Billy Slater described as 'flat'.
Despite entering the match with limited experience-having played only 10 NRL games-Toia was tasked with the significant challenge of going up against Origin veteran Latrell Mitchell.
His time in training camp with Slater contributed to his confidence, allowing him to hold his own on the field.
Another notable contributor for the Maroons was Jeremiah Nanai, who demonstrated resilience by bouncing back from a drop in the Cowboys team to reclaim his spot in both the squad and the starting lineup, ultimately earning a place on the Queensland team.