![Raiders lock Corey Horsburgh has been backed to take Josh Papali'i's Queensland spot. Picture by Keegan Carroll Raiders lock Corey Horsburgh has been backed to take Josh Papali'i's Queensland spot. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/86c1ee05-3e80-49aa-8bd6-ed8e307981b0.jpg/r0_480_5398_3527_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Josh Papali'i has named the heir to his State of Origin throne - Canberra Raiders teammate Corey Horsburgh.
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Papali'i then paid Horsburgh the ultimate compliment - the fiery redhead's making those around him better.
Not a small task given Horsburgh's playing alongside Raiders great Papali'i and New Zealand international Joe Tapine - two of the best middles in the world.
Horsburgh's enjoying a career-best season that's launched him into Origin contention, with Papali'i's retirement on Thursday opening the door for Horsburgh to make his Queensland debut.
He has one last chance to stake his claim for game one in Adelaide Wednesday week - against Manly at Canberra Stadium on Sunday - with the squad announced on Monday.
The master has now endorsed the pupil to slot straight into his spot in the Maroons squad.
"Yeah I think so. I'm not being biased with my teammates, but he's been playing some awesome footy at the moment," Papali'i said.
"He's making myself and players like Taps and Emre [Guler] and Pasami [Saulo] play better as well.
"When you have that influence on your teammates I know what he can do in that arena."
Horsburgh's known as an emotional character who wears his heart on his sleeve.
It's something he's working to control better, but said he was still a work in progress after he was sent to the sin bin for throwing a punch at Parramatta forward Ryan Matterson last weekend.
Papali'i felt that passion meant he would be ideally suited to Origin.
"He's definitely built for that arena. If something was to go down I'm pretty sure 'Red' would be the first to run in," he said.
"He's an emotional guy, he's just passionate and a very loyal man to his teammates. If he did get the phone call he'd definitely be ready."
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has chatted to Maroons coach Billy Slater this week - about both Papali'i and Horsburgh.
He said while it wasn't his call to make whether Horsburgh should come into the Queensland squad, but he did say he was "playing like an Origin player".
But he said there was plenty of competition for middle forward spots in the Maroons ranks - the likes of Lindsay Collins, Tom Flegler, Reuben Cotter and Tom Gilbert were all in the mix.
Stuart said Horsburgh now had to handle the additional pressure of the spotlight - something he felt he'd done well so far this season by consistently being amongst the Green Machine's best players.
"I know Billy's very happy with the way he's playing," Stuart said.
"The big thing for Corey is to handle that positive media that he's getting, handle the raps and just keep playing the way he is.
"You have one bad game and you get overlooked. Corey hasn't, he's been playing well all year and deserves the recognition, but it's a long program the Origin series.
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"And the team that's picked in the first Origin won't be the team that plays in the last Origin. There's always change.
"I'd love for Corey to be in game one. We've still got another game to go yet and that's this weekend against Manly and Corey just keeps putting his best foot forward."
Stuart felt NSW Blues hopeful Hudson Young was in a similar position to Horsburgh.
NRL ROUND 12
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Manly Sea Eagles at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.
Raiders squad: 1. Sebastian Kris, 2. Albert Hopoate, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Matt Timoko, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Tom Starling, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (C), 13. Corey Horsburgh. Interchange: 14. Danny Levi, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Ata Mariota. Reserves: 18. James Schiller, 19. Hohepa Puru, 20. Brad Schneider, 21. Corey Harawira-Naera, 22. Nick Cotric.
Sea Eagles squad: 1. Tom Trbojevic, 2. Jason Saab, 3. Brad Parker, 4. Tolutau Koula, 5. Reuben Garrick, 6. Josh Schuster, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans (c), 8. Taniela Paseka, 9. Lachlan Croker, 10. Sean Keppie, 11. Haumole Olakau'atu, 12. Ben Trbojevic, 13. Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: 14. Karl Lawton, 15. Samuela Fainu, 16. Ethan Bullemor, 17. Ben Condon. Reserves: 18. Kaeo Weekes, 19. Morgan Harper, 20. Cooper Johns, 21. Morgan Boyle, 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong.
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