Ben Hannant long odds to play in State of Origin opener for Queensland Ben Hannant leaves the field with a leg injury against the Parramatta Eels. MAROONS prop Ben Hannant is at long odds to play in Origin I and needs a miracle recovery to prove his fitness for the series opener on June 5. The Courier-Mail understands Hannant is facing up to a month on the sidelines to treat the calf injury he suffered in the 73rd minute of Brisbane's 19-18 loss to Parramatta on Saturday night. The Broncos expect Hannant to miss at least two weeks, including Friday night's derby clash with the Titans, but the Queensland bookend is bracing for a longer stint in the casualty ward. The Queensland side for Origin I is named in two weeks. Hannant could be available if he misses only a fortnight, but Queensland selector Allan Smith said yesterday the Maroons were unlikely to carry an underdone forward into the series opener at Sydney's ANZ Stadium. The likely scratching of Hannant opens the door for a posse of forward contenders. Canberra giant David Shillington is favoured to start at prop, leaving bench spots available for Hannant's Broncos teammate Josh McGuire, Roosters prop Martin Kennedy, Brisbane duo Corey Parker and Matt Gillett and Souths utility Chris McQueen. Maroons backrowers Sam Thaiday and Nate Myles are both capable of shifting into the engine room. Hannant was so gutted on Saturday night he declined media interviews and left the Broncos' sheds on crutches. He put on a brave face on Channel Nine's The Footy Show yesterday, but concedes the injury could rule him out of Origin I. Broncos coach Anthony Griffin says his side were playing catch up for the full 80 minutes in their one point loss to Parramatta. "There is definitely a chance of that happening," he said. I'll give myself every chance of being fit, I'll do what I can, but it's just disappointing. I love being a part of Origin and we're going for eight straight wins this year. The Maroons have previously taken injured players into camp to afford them time to recover. But Smith said the Maroons would be reluctant to pick Hannant if he failed to return for the Broncos before Origin I. "Our preference would be to pick a fit player over a guy who is underdone," Smith said. Broncos skipper Thaiday is confident the side can reignite their spluttering season in the absence of Hannant and injured playmaker Scott Prince (hamstring). "It's not an attitude thing," he said. I believe the boys are willing to do whatever it takes to win but we have to figure out the right remedy or the right recipe to nail things from the first minute. The biggest thing letting us down at the moment is our starts. We lack enthusiasm, we lack mongrel, we lacked the killer instinct to win a game, that's where we are falling down at the moment. We are showing grit and determination late in the halves to try and come back but it's too late by then. We should be in there from the first minute not the last minute.