One way or another, Johnathan Thurston will put his midas touch on the Queensland team that plays next week's State of Origin opener in Brisbane.
Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford was named at five-eighth for Origin I on May 31, with a recovering Thurston as 18th man.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters said Thurston was "highly unlikely" to overcome a shoulder complaint suffered in the trans-Tasman Test.
Walters still backed Thurston to have a huge influence at their Origin camp on the Gold Coast, even if he failed to prove his fitness.
It would snap Thurston's record run of 36 straight Origins since his 2005 debut.
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Walters said Thurston still had a major role to play not only grooming Milford but the rest of a Queensland team, who are also without Origin stalwarts Billy Slater (overlooked), Matt Scott (knee), Corey Parker (retired) and Greg Inglis (knee).
"He's there to help all of us. He helps me as much as anyone," Walters said of Thurston's presence.
"We understand his stature in the game and he'll be a big help for myself and every team member, particularly Anthony.
"Even if he can't be on the field, just his presence around the camp... he's a winner, Johnathan, and that's what Queensland's about."
Walters said Queensland's depth ensured he did not fear a future without four-time Dally M Medallist Thurston despite predicting a few "hiccups".
Milford held out the likes of Melbourne's Cameron Munster and North Queensland's Michael Morgan to claim the Maroons No.6 jersey in Thurston's absence.
"Any player of that standard out of a side and there's probably going to be some little hiccups," Walters said of life after Thurston.
"But everyone was scratching their head when Darren Lockyer retired after the 2011 series - what's going to happen to Queensland now?
"Well, someone comes in and gets the job done.
"That person at that particular time was Cooper Cronk.
"He came in and the ship kept sailing. The ship will keep sailing, I just hope we keep heading north and not south."
Queensland have won 10 of the last 11 Origin series.
Thurston has featured in every game.
