“But if he’s not fit, I don’t think ‘Madge’ is going to risk anyone going in without playing. By then it will be seven or eight weeks out. It’s too big an ask for him. That’s my opinion.

“I think it’s highly likely [he won’t play]. I won’t rule him out because I don’t pick the team, but it’s highly likely he won’t be ready.”

Nathan Cleary (hamstring) and Adam Reynolds (biceps) are already sidelined. With Moses tipped to be struck off the Origin I list, there will be an even greater focus on Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes, Penrith’s Jarome Luai and Canterbury’s Matt Burton during Magic Round.

Meanwhile, Koroisau, who is locked in a battle with Cronulla’s Cam McInnes for NSW’s No. 9 jersey, opened up about overcoming a hip injury he suffered against the Broncos.

Regarded as one of the toughest players in the NRL, Koroisau failed to finish last month’s game against the Broncos after he was driven into the ground – legally – by Xavier Willison, damaging one of his deep gluteal muscles. He missed the following week against the Bulldogs, and was restricted to just a couple of runs against the Knights last weekend.

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Koroisau also sat out the second half of training on Thursday and is due to play his 200th NRL game against the Dolphins on Sunday night.

“It’s a strange injury, nobody has really seen it before,” Koroisau told this masthead. “It’s one of those things [you take] week by week. I get a bit of stiffness. It’s weird, I’ve never had it before, and I’m not sure if anyone else has had it. I’m lucky it’s come good this week. I’m good to go.”

Koroisau started game one last year then missed the next two Origin games with a broken jaw. The 31-year-old, who won a premiership with Maguire a decade ago at South Sydney, would love to get another shot against Queensland.

“[In the past] if I think about Origin, I start to play some shoddy footy, so I leave it in the back of my mind, and if I’m playing good enough and get selected, [then] happy days,” Koroisau said.

“It’s one of the greatest games to be a part of – the build-up, the whole week, the camp, it’s so exciting. I definitely love it.

“Madge’s [Maguire’s] experience will be a big one [for NSW]. He hasn’t coached Origin before, but he did an incredible job with New Zealand, and with the same sort of format where you don’t get that long with the players. But he really knows his stuff. He will be great.”

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