League: Queensland rubbish Lockyer arm injury claim

Queensland has denied reports that its champion playmaker Darren Lockyer will carry an arm injury into tonight's State Of Origin rugby league clash with NSW at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

The Queensland camp rubbished reports that Lockyer would play with a special protective arm guard, after he received a painful blow to his forearm during the Maroons final training run at Suncorp Stadium yesterday.

A Queensland official said the report on Lockyer, who clutched at his arm after receiving the knock, was simply a rumour, and he would play tonight without any guard.

Journalists were ushered out of the Queensland training session not long after Lockyer received the blow to his forearm.

After reports surfaced that he may require the aid of arm guard, team media representative Ben Ikin dismissed the injury reports.

Lockyer did appear to be in considerable pain after receiving the blow to his forearm.

Meanwhile, Queensland coach Michael Hagan has not ruled out using a tandem attack on NSW dangerman Mark Gasnier.

While Hagan confirmed hooker Cameron Smith would be Queensland's first choice goalkicker ahead of Lockyer, he was undecided about whether Shaun Berrigan or Paul Bowman would get the defensive assignment on Gasnier.

Berrigan and Bowman both play left side for their NRL clubs.

Hagan could alternate them to keep the defensive heat on Gasnier whose clever footwork, speed, fend and strength take some harnessing.

"It's something for us to look at between now and tonight ... and even during the game," said Hagan.

"At this stage we can assume Berro will mark up opposite Gasnier."

Selector Gene Miles -- a champion centre for Queensland and Australia in the 1980s -- felt Bowman's defence was best suited to nullifying Gasnier's dangerous attack.

Hagan's decision to hand Cameron the goal kicking job appeared motivated by his desire to lighten the heavy load on Lockyer.

Former Bulldogs superboot Daryl Halligan, who kicked 630 goals for the club, ran his eye over Smith, Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston this week before giving Hagan his thoughts.

"Cameron will do that job for us and he will have a fairly capable back up in Darren Lockyer followed by Johnathan Thurston," said Hagan.

"Talking to Cameron and Darren about it and listening to Daryl's input... Cameron is a pretty confident character.

"Locky will be happy to do it if Cameron is not on the field but he's probably not striking them as well as he'd like.

"It takes a touch of pressure off him too, he's got enough to worry about with everything else he does."

"It means Darren can concentrate on his tackle count," added Hagan in a shot at NSW's plans to target Queensland's No 6 with their big runners to wear him down.

Despite rival coach Ricky Stuart's reputation for making last minute changes, Hagan expects NSW to take the field as programmed.

"They've got a test calibre back row and front-row so I can't really see any changes to their forward pack and or anywhere else to be honest," he said.

"I expect their back-row to play 80 minutes for them.

"I don't know how much time blokes like (reserves) Anthony Watmough or Andrew Ryan might get.

"Obviously Steve Simpson will have to play up front as will Craig Fitzgibbon at different times."

NSW have been heavily criticised for not naming a specialist prop on their interchange bench but Hagan said they had their agenda.

"They're going to want to play the game pretty quickly given they've got pretty good work rate and mobility and strike power out wide in Gasnier and Matt Cooper and Minichiello," he said.

"I think they're going to try and stifle what we want to do up front.

"We know they're going to jump the gun and try and get three or four men in on most plays and shut our forward pack down to nullify the likes of Lockyer and Slater and Johnathan Thurston."

Hagan is not a big fan of pushing second-rowers into the front-row, especially under the heat of Origin.

"Prop is still a specialist position," he said.

"It's fine to push a bloke up there for 10 or 12 minutes from the back row.

"But they absorb the most punishment.

"When they carry the football, they get worked over the most in the middle in defence.

"It's a different type of work."

- AAP