He's the unheralded tackling machine with a baby due on Saturday, tasked with halting arguably NSW's greatest State of Origin threat.
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Reuben Cotter would be North Queensland's breakout 2022 star if not for fellow Maroons debutant Jeremiah Nanai.
Second-rower Nanai looms as a crucial piece off the bench for rookie coach Billy Slater too, in what shapes as an intriguing tactical battle to begin the series on Wednesday.
But central to it will be the 23-year-old Cotter, the man with the flowing mullet set to wear the No.13 in Slater's biggest selection call.
In front of him will be Penrith skipper Isaah Yeo, whose ball-playing from lock has turned his Panthers side into an almost unstoppable NRL force in the last two seasons.
Slater's seen something in Cotter that he thinks can stunt him though, despite the former hooker giving away 15cm and 11kg in their head-to-head battle.
"He gives the team so much, he builds that foundation for us and he's an important part of our team and has really earned his opportunity to play for Queensland," Slater said.
The coach said Cotter's name was one of the first written down after watching him amass 63 tackles when the Cowboys faced Penrith last month, with Yeo's ball use almost halved as a result.
"I don't look at it as a one-on-one match-up with with any players," Slater said of his Yeo assignment.
"But I just know what he gives our team and I'm looking forward to him building that for us tomorrow."
Cotter's partner is due to give birth on Saturday, Slater saying that he and the team are ready for anything.
"It's pretty exciting, isn't it? It's going to be a big week for him," Slater said.
"We fully support Reuben with whatever he needs to do but the baby, we didn't get an email from the baby (letting them know when it's coming).
"So like Reuben says, we're just playing it by ear."
Australian Associated Press
