Under-fire Queensland rookie Tim Glasby has found unlikely allies from south of the border, following criticism of his shock selection for State of Origin II.
Maroons selectors were condemned by some quarters for the left-field inclusion of Melbourne prop Glasby, highlighted by a scathing analysis of his club performances by News Corp on Tuesday.
And it was that particular report that a number of Blues players fiercely took exception to when the team kicked off preparations to possibly clinch the series next week.
NSW prop Andrew Fifita lashed out at the analysis of Glasby, and likened the 28-year-old's impact for the Storm to that of unheralded clubmate Matt Prior at Cronulla.
"I think it's wrong what they're doing to him," Fifita said.
"It's so hard to make first grade. I think Tim Glasby has been in the shadow of Jesse Bromwich. He is a quality player. I played him on the weekend and he was a gun.
"You might as well put him as my Matt Prior. Matty Prior won our top gong at Cronulla last year. The most under-rated player in the comp, but well respected on the field."
Fifita admitted he would've taken the judgement personally if it were him under the microscope and feared a backlash from the Rockhampton product next Wednesday.
"All this negative talk about him has put pressure more on us because the way I see it, if I had all that negative stuff, I would be thriving off it," he said.
"And I would be proving to everyone else that I am someone. He's going to make his mark."
Sharks teammate Wade Graham, who played with Glasby in the under-20s for Penrith in 2008-09, was also disappointed with some of the media's treatment of the Maroons debutant.
"I saw that and thought it was really poor form," he said.
"To play at this level a lot of hard work and dedication has gone into it and to achieve his dream, it should be a cause for celebration for him and his family.
"For his family to have to read that, they should be able to celebrate a lifetime's dedication."
Graham hailed Glasby's persistence in achieving his Origin dream despite not making his NRL debut until he was 24, which included three years biding his time in reserve grade.
He has since become an integral member of the competition leaders' forward pack.
"He never went away from it. He kept training, kept working hard. He found himself in the Melbourne system and forced his way into that team," Graham said.
"Over the last two years or so he's been a real mainstay of that team, he's played in a grand final now, he's about to make his State of Origin debut.
"It's a credit to him, his dedication, and to the way he kept going on. He could've given the game away by now, so congratulations to him."
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