Queensland's bid to poach North Queensland Cowboys powerhouse Jason Taumalolo for this year's State of Origin tilt looks to have been vetoed by NRL chiefs.
Maroons bosses have reportedly made moves to see if the wrecking-ball backrower could be cleared to quit Tonga and become available for their side for this season's clashes with NSW.
But the NRL have blocked the move because Taumalolo has earned 10 Test caps for New Zealand, a tier-one rival to Australia, News Corp reports.
The juggernaut forward confirmed his allegiance to Tonga last June after representing the Kiwis at the 2017 World Cup.
"Under current RLIF (Rugby League International Federation) rules around eligibility, players cannot represent two Tier One nations," a NRL spokesman said.
"If Jason Taumalolo were to play for Queensland, he would need to make himself available for Australia."
