Queensland's new-look spine may boast a familiar face in 2019 with Maroons assistant Justin Hodges tipping Greg Inglis to feature at fullback.
Hodges' first assignment as Queensland assistant may still be months away but he has already begun talks with Maroons mentor Kevin Walters on who will fill the big shoes left behind by the retired Billy Slater.
Melbourne's Cameron Munster has put his hand up for the daunting task and Newcastle young gun Kalyn Ponga was also expected to get a crack after his stunning Origin debut off the bench last year.
But Hodges believes it may be best to replace one Queensland great with another at fullback for Origin I as the Maroons look to wrestle back dominance from NSW.
Queensland skipper Inglis has played 32 Origins but only started one match in the Maroons No.1 jersey - in game three in 2015.
Yet Hodges believed Inglis would strike terror in Blues' hearts if he made the switch from his regular centre position.
"You can throw GI at the back. I think he would be a huge threat to NSW there," Hodges said.
Either way, Hodges said the Maroons selectors faced a "welcome headache" finalising their spine before June's series opener at Suncorp Stadium.
Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans are Queensland's incumbent halves.
However, Munster has made it clear he wants to be known as a fullback this season at NRL club Melbourne and for Queensland with Slater now enjoying retirement.
Adding to the intrigue, Ponga is making the transition from fullback to five-eighth at his club Newcastle in 2019.
Hodges this year joins a new-look Queensland support staff also featuring Petero Civoniceva as team manager with Slater and fellow retired great Johnathan Thurston also set to chime in as mentors.
Hodges believed the Maroons spine should be built around Cherry-Evans and North Queensland's Michael Morgan in the halves with Ponga as the bench utility.
"You just build your side around that, maybe have Kalyn Ponga as your 14.
"When teams get tired it takes just one player to change the game and he can certainly do that (from bench)."
