Ezra Mam is in line for a State of Origin debut through Queensland's halves after coach Billy Slater's major shake up in response going one-nil down at Suncorp Stadium.
Slater confirmed his 20-man game two squad on Monday morning, which includes the axing of skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, with the team line-up announcement not due until Tuesday.
Game one might have been 36-year-old Cherry-Evans' last in the Maroons jumper after 26 appearances and series wins as captain.
Cowboys half Tom Dearden will slot into the starting no.7 jumper in the veteran's absence.
Mam has previously entered Maroons camp without running out to play for his state.
A clearer picture on whether the 22-year-old will slot onto the bench behind halves pairing Cameron Munster and Dearden or in the further extended team as injury cover will come with the team announcement, alongside who takes the captaincy honours from Cherry-Evans.
Mam himself will undergo scans on Monday morning after picking up a knee concern in the Broncos' win over Gold Coast at the weekend, something Slater is confident was just a 'bump' which at worst could prevent participation in early training sessions inside camp.
Canterbury utility Kurt Mann is expected to take Dearden's bench spot, with Slater saying it was "correct" the 18th man is a possible role for Mam.
Mam's selection comes just weeks after returning from an eight-week ban from his drug-driving incident.
"He's the right person for that position right now," Slater said at Monday's press conference.
"He's been doing a great job over the last few weeks since he's returned, and we feel that the squad will benefit from him being here."
In the face of any controversy around the selection, the Queensland coach added "everyone's entitled to their opinion".
"Have you watched the couple of games back? He's been pretty good," Slater later added.
"I don't think he skipped a beat. By all reports he's been doing a lot of training through the first half of the year, while he's been sitting out. He's been in this position before. He's been a part of this squad before, and I'm sure he'll take his opportunity, if presented."
In addition to Cherry-Evans, game one debutant Beau Fermor has also been dropped.
After raising his hand for a recall into the squad, Mam's Broncos teammate Reece Walsh hasn't been able to make room for himself as Kalyn Ponga holds onto the position at fullback.
"I consider everything, and I watch everything. It was great to see Reese back playing the way that he was (at the weekend)," Slater said of Walsh.
"He's got a real spring in his step and a real energy about him, and I felt he made a real difference to the Broncos performance.
"Absolutely, there's consideration all the time, but you've got to remember when you throw a name up, you've got to take one out, and we just feel that the ones that we have at the moment are the right ones."
Fellow First Nations players Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Reuben Cotter have retained there spots in the squad.
Queensland are staring down back-to-back series defeats and four consecutive game losses ahead of game two in Perth next Wednesday.
They were outplayed at home in the series opener last month after being handed an 18-6 loss to NSW - flattered by the Blues' inability to convert any of their four tries.
"There's quite a few things we didn't get right…and that's what we'll go over in the first couple of days (in camp). We'll be really clear on that, on what we need to get right, and how we need to go about it," Slater said.
"Then then it's up to the players to go out there in that 80 minutes and go and deliver that."
NSW coach Laurie Daley is expected to announce NSW's game two squad following Monday's Bulldogs-Eels game.
Queensland Origin II Squad
Kurt Capewell, Patrick Carrigan, Xavier Coates, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Moeaki Fotuaika, Harry Grant, Valentine Holmes, Corey Horsburgh, Jack Howarth, Trent Loiero, Ezra Mam, Kurt Mann, Cameron Munster, Jeremiah Nanai, Kalyn Ponga, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Robert Toia.
