Kalyn Ponga makes stunning call on taking over Cameron Munster's State of Origin spot

Kalyn Ponga has sent an emphatic message to Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater that he's ready to replace Cameron Munster if the Storm five-eighth is not fit enough to play for the Maroons in this year's series. Munster has been battling a mystery groin injury this season that Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy admits has left even the medical department baffled.

The Storm No.6 returned for his first game of the NRL this season in last week's thrilling two-point win over the Broncos. But Munster has admitted that the groin injury is still a week-by-week proposition and that he'll probably only be operating at "70 or 80 per cent most games" this season.

It presents Slater with a massive call to make as he looks to make it three successive Origin series wins for the Maroons. Munster has been a standout on the representative arena for state and country but his injury situation represents a big risk for Slater. And Ponga has put his hand up to play No.6 for the Maroons if Munster's fitness is going to be a concern.

If Slater does leave Munster out of the side, Newcastle captain Kalyn Ponga has put his hand up to step in. Ponga came onto the bench in his Origin debut but has played his six other games at fullback for Queensland.

Kalyn Ponga ready to play five-eighth for QLD if needed

Ponga's previous role at fullback for the Maroons has been taken by Reece Walsh, whose performances there have surely cemented his spot. And the Knights captain would have to overcome the likes of regular NRL five-eights such as Tom Dearden and Ezra Mam in order to be named in Slater's QLD side. But Ponga says he'd be more than up to the challenge if Slater came calling.

" Definitely, yeah," Ponga said on Monday. "Billy is a great coach, I love playing for Queensland and I love playing for him. Whatever decision he makes I'll support him if it's best for the team." Game I of the Origin series gets underway in Sydney on June 5, with Games II and III to be played at the MCG and Suncorp Stadium respectively.

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Slater has also made it clear that he would consider picking Ponga and Walsh in the same 17-man squad for the Maroons, assuming Munster is fit enough to play No.6. "Everything's a possibility," Slater said earlier this year. "(Ponga and Walsh) both contributed immensely to both the 2022 series and the 2023 series and they're both Queenslanders. I'm sure they'd love to be teammates one day as well.

"We've got 34 players here that have earned the right to be here. Seventeen players will get their name read out leading into that first game. Sure, there's competition, but they're teammates as well. They understand the selflessness that you need to have to be successful in this game."

The uncertainty around Munster comes after he admitted that the groin injury that kept him out of the first four rounds of the season continues to hamper him. Munster is determined to manage the issue in an attempt to remain on the field this season but admits he will be far from full fitness.

" The body's probably going to be 70 or 80 per cent most games," Munster said on Monday. "I've just got to be mentally strong enough to play and get through it. It was a good stepping stone on Thursday night. I'm not going to be great every week. At times I'm going to be pretty good, and sometimes I'm going to be crap... It was a good stepping stone (against the Broncos)... For me, just getting my head right and being able to do whatever I can and just the little things for the team."

with AAP