Rising Star and Origin Eligibility Debate
Xavier Willison, the forward for the Brisbane Broncos, has been in exceptional form this season, sparking discussions about his eligibility to represent Queensland in the State of Origin. His standout performance against the Bulldogs last weekend saw him score a try, run 170 metres, make four tackle-breaks, and record a line-break. Playing 75 minutes in the absence of key players like Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, and Corey Jensen, Willison played a crucial role in the Broncos’ 32-12 victory.
Willison’s impressive start to the 2026 season comes after he was part of the premiership-winning team last year. This success has led many to question whether he can play for Queensland in the State of Origin. The NRL recently changed its rules to allow players from New Zealand and England to represent NSW or Queensland. Willison played two Tests for New Zealand last year, which means he is not automatically excluded from Origin.
However, despite this rule change, the 23-year-old does not meet the age criteria required to be eligible for State of Origin. Players must have resided in either NSW or Queensland before their 13th birthday. Willison moved to Australia at the age of 15, which disqualifies him from playing in the competition. This situation is similar to that of Herbie Farnworth, a star for the Dolphins, who also arrived in Australia after turning 13.
The NRL made changes this year to allow players who have represented Tier-1 nations (New Zealand and England) to participate in the State of Origin. However, they still need to meet the age criteria. Players like Addin-Fonua Blake, Casey McLean, and Victor Radley are now eligible for NSW, while Briton Nikora is available for Queensland. Kalyn Ponga can continue to play for the Maroons despite switching his Test allegiance to New Zealand. Jahrome Hughes is technically eligible to play for Queensland, but he has ruled it out due to a lack of passion for the Maroons.
NSW’s Push for Moses Leota
There is currently a debate about whether NSW should be allowed to include Panthers prop Moses Leota in their State of Origin squad. Leota missed the age cut-off by just four months, and NSW officials are reportedly pushing for an exemption. However, figures like Andrew Johns and Billy Slater do not support this idea.
“No. It should be a hard line (stance),” Johns said on Channel 9 earlier this month. “Where do you stop? Four months, six months, nine months? It should be 13 and that’s it.”
Maroons coach Slater added: “It won’t happen. Ronaldo Mulitalo missed an Origin jersey a few years ago because of this exact situation, which would have been extremely hard for him. He played all the junior reps for Queensland.”
