Recalled prop Josh Papalii will protect Queensland from harm and return fire to NSW like Kevin Costner did in the hit film The Bodyguard.
That's the word from Maroons captain Cameron Munster who is a fan of the film and Costner's part as the bodyguard who protected Whitney Houston, playing the role of a famous actress and singer, from a deranged stalker.
The Blues will be stalking Queensland in the State of Origin decider in Sydney and Canberra giant Papalii is the antidote in his first game for the Maroons since 2022.
"It's great to have him back. He brings a lot of that belief and steely eye when you have him beside you," Munster said.
"It brings a bit of fear in people's faces. You don't want to be running around annoying Big Papa.
"He's a bit of a Kevin Costner. I don't know if you've seen that movie, Kevin Costner's The Bodyguard ... with Whitney Houston?
"He's probably our bodyguard and he's one of those enforcers. Taking him down to foreign territory, it's going to be good for us."
Former Maroons captain Trevor Gillmeister, known as 'The Axe' and a bodyguard of sorts in his own right as a player, said Papalii was in career-best form and would sort the Blues out. When asked what his advice would be for Papalii in his Maroons swansong, Gillmeister got a gleam in his eyes.
"Just blow your gasket in the first 20 or 30 minutes and go hard," Gillmeister said.
"When the shit hits the fan he will be there in the middle of it.
"We have got Alpha males here in Tino (Fa'asuamaleaui) and Lindsay (Collins) and other blokes as well but Papa is the older, settling influence.
"Nothing seems to rattle him and he plays like that. How good is he playing for the Raiders at the moment? Outstanding."
Papalii was set to arrive in camp on Wednesday after he and his partner Mesepa had a baby boy last week.
Maroons hooker Harry Grant, who played alongside Papalii when he made his Origin debut in 2020, said his arrival was much anticipated.
"Everyone is really looking forward to big Paps getting back in camp and the presence and aura that he brings to the team," Grant said."He's a scary man to play against and one of the hardest blokes I've had to tackle because he is so wide and has got so many options to his game."He's a protector and warrior of the team and has been for so many years. You know how much Queensland means to him. Every series he has been messaging and saying 'good luck and go well' to the boys and now he is back.
"It's pretty cool that he never lost that attachment to the group and how much the Origin series means even though he wasn't in the team for a couple of years."