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BRISBANE - Four changes have been made by the Queensland selectors for the second State of Origin rugby league match against New South Wales but Gold Coast halfback Scott Prince has missed out again.
Maroons coach Mal Meninga was the first to admit today that Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston was going through a "torrid time" but backed the North Queensland playmaker to shine in Brisbane next Wednesday.
As expected, Broncos inspiration Darren Lockyer was named captain in the halves alongside the out-of-sorts Thurston.
Lockyer proved he had recovered from a knee injury with a matchwinning hand for Brisbane against the Eels last Friday.
"It's good to be back. I guess a couple of weeks ago I wasn't sure that I would be here," Lockyer said today.
"But I knew probably about seven days ago that I was a good chance of being here today.
"It (his knee) is good enough to get through 80 minutes of Origin - it's not going to go backwards from here."
In other changes, Broncos winger Darius Boyd will make his Origin debut in a reshuffled backline, veteran New Zealand Warriors prop Steve Price returns and Gold Coast utility Ashley Harrison receives his first Queensland nod since his solitary 2005 game.
Broncos centre Justin Hodges was not considered due to suspension while Cowboys forwards Carl Webb and Jacob Lillyman were dropped along with Broncos utility PJ Marsh.
Karmichael Hunt, who played at five-eighth when Queensland lost the opening match 10-18, goes to the bench to make way for Lockyer.
Brent Tate moves to the centres for Hodges, creating a wing vacancy filled by Boyd.
- AAP
