'I'm very proud': 'Huge' milestone beckons for Maroons veteran as ...

Maroons veteran Ben Hunt will join an exclusive club when he runs out at Suncorp in his 20th Origin appearance to earn the highly acclaimed “Tosser” Turner Medal.

Making his debut off the bench in 2017, Hunt has become Queensland’s first-choice hooker despite his usual club position of halfback.

Arguably his finest moment in the Maroon jersey came in the 2022 decider when he retrieved a Nathan Cleary chip kick to race 70 metres and seal victory for Queensland.

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“It is a huge honour (to play 20 Origins). You look at the list of the guys that have made it and to be in their company is something I am very proud of,” Hunt said.

“Making my debut in a decider at Suncorp, and we won, is pretty special. That one (in 2022) with the runaway try is definitely up there as well.

“It was definitely a bad defeat down in Melbourne and something that we are looking to improve on. In 2022 we had a pretty bad loss in game two and came to Brisbane and won in a tight game.

“I think it is going to be like that Wednesday night. It is going to be a tough battle and a tight game and one both teams are going to be up for.”

And despite Queensland’s Game Two shellacking by NSW, Hunt believes a packed Suncorp Stadium will be enough to lift his side and earn redemption against the Blues.

“Coming back to Suncorp it is always the place we play our best footy. It is our home ground and a place where you don’t like to lose. It brings out the best in us,” Hunt said.

“We just need to draw on everything we can, embrace the crowd at Suncorp and get a win.

“When we come back to Suncorp it seems to be the place where we play our best footy.”