Josh McGuire

Death threats for NRL enforcer

The North Queensland forward's aggressive ruck-play has become a central talking point of the code in recent days after his third contrary conduct charge for "a facial" this season.

He will miss three games after taking an early guilty plea for rubbing his hand into the face of Brisbane forward David Fifita during the Cowboys' loss to the Broncos on Thursday night.

However the wife of the embattled Queensland representative has spoken out after he copped extraordinary abuse on social media and elsewhere.

McGuire set to be cleared for decider

That is according to teammate Matt Gillett who believes the 27-year-old will be out to make up for his seven-minute stint in Brisbane's 42-12 thrashing at the hands of the Melbourne Storm in Round 17. 

McGuire was knocked unconscious during that match, copping the hip of Storm prop Jesse Bromwich in a sickening clash that ended his night prematurely. 

McGuire charged over dangerous throw

With the grade one charge and no carry-over points to his name, McGuire can avoid a suspension with an early guilty plea.

McGuire primed to make first contact

McGuire was on Wednesday evening named to replace the injured Nate Myles in the Queensland starting team for Game Two of the 2016 Holden State of Origin Series and a toss of the coin and direction of the wind will determine whether he is the first man tackled in what could be the Series decider.

Dating back to the very first game in 1980 with Arthur Beetson, Origin matches have featured a roll call of barrelling bookends who have taken arguably the hardest run in rugby league by throwing themselves at the mercy of a rabid opposition.

McGuire's inspiration behind Origin return

Having been a member of the Maroons for the first two games of the series, McGuire was confined to the role of cheerleader in the decider having ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for the Broncos against the Knights.

Eleven months on and he has come back a smarter and leaner player than before and said that the lure of another Queensland jersey was a major motivator throughout the torturous rehabilitation process.