Tino cleared as Maroons star accepts his Origin fate

Perth Now

10-05-2025

Ben Hunt doubts he'll be fit for the State of Origin series opener but fellow Queenslander Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is in the clear after avoiding a ban for his high shot.
Hunt suffered the first hamstring injury of his long career in Brisbane's 22-14 loss to South Sydney on Friday night and immediately left the field.
"I knew it wasn't a cramp or something like that, it felt a bit more than that. I knew something was pretty wrong straight away," he said.
The Broncos booked the 35-year-old playmaker in for scans in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon to determine the severity of his injury.
But even before meeting with the medicos, Hunt was pessimistic about his chances of featuring in Billy Slater's team for Origin I on May 28.
"It definitely hurts," he said.
"Whether Billy was going to have me in there again or not, I'm unsure, but it's definitely disappointing to know that you're definitely not in the picture."
Hunt has been one of Queensland's most consistent performers in recent years and was awarded their player of the series in 2021.
He has typically played as a back-up hooker at Origin level, with Slater now needing to look elsewhere if he wants cover for likely No.9 Harry Grant.
Reed Mahoney and Kurt Mann are options, or Slater could choose to play an additional half on his bench - presumably the loser of the selection battle between five-eighths Cameron Munster and Tom Dearden.
The news is better for Hunt's would-be Maroons teammate Fa'asuamaleaui, who has not been charged for the hit that landed him on report on Friday night.
Fa'asuamaleaui hit Newcastle's Leo Thompson high in the opening set of the Titans' 24-20 comeback defeat so faced a nervous wait for the match review committee's charge sheet.
A two-match ban would have thwarted his hopes of playing in Origin I but Fa'asuamaleaui, the Titans' best player this year, is set to be available.