The 20-year-old centre will join Gold Coast second-rower Beau Fermor and Melbourne lock Trent Loiero as debutants in the Maroons side for the Origin series opener on May 28 at Suncorp Stadium.
After losing last year's series 2-1, coach Billy Slater has put his faith in new blood.
A pectoral injury to Dolphins forward Tom Gilbert and a calf issue for North Queensland winger Murray Taulagi opened the door for new candidates.
On the cusp of the side being named, Brisbane outside back Selwyn Cobbo suffered a possible wrist fracture in the 30-26 loss to St George Illawarra.
Toia overcame two ACL ruptures to finally make his NRL debut this year.
"I have been watching Robert Toia closely, not just the stuff he does with the football, but he has great principles in his game," Slater said.
"I think he is a world-class centre. Although he is only 10 games into his NRL career, he has been through a bit of adversity. I know his coach has a really high opinion of him and ...we think he is of Origin class."
Toia has power, speed and skill. That was best highlighted in a 36-26 win over the Dolphins at Magic Round where he scored two tries and created carnage.
"I would love to play Origin," former Queensland under-19 representative Toia said after round 11.
"I just remember watching GI (Inglis in Origin) and how dominant he was. It didn't matter who was in front of him, he was just able to create havoc."
Fermor, 25, has also suffered two ACL tears. The latest wiped him out of the 2023 season after he had been invited into Maroons camp in 2022.
This year he has found his groove as a superb edge forward who runs great lines and defends strongly.
"He is a team-first player who has worked really hard," Slater said.
"Beau was really close a few years ago before he tore his ACL and he has worked really hard like his captain (Tino Fa'asuamaleaui) at the Titans to get back and play the footy he is playing."
Loiero is well-known for being a feisty forward who plays with physicality and work ethic, highlighted by his average of 117m and 32 tackles per game in 2025.
"I am fortunate I work with Melbourne every week and I see what Trent is putting into his game over the last 18 months," Slater said.
"He was an 18th man in our squad last year and you're not an 18th man just for the number. You are there because you are playing of a quality that this standard of footy team upholds."
The Maroons made other selection decisions forced partly by injury. Incumbent fullback Reece Walsh (knee) and utility Ben Hunt (hamstring) were both unavailable.
Newcastle captain Kalyn Ponga, who came off the bench in game three last year, returns to the starting custodian's role for the first time since the 2022 decider when he was man of the match.
Maroons champion Cameron Munster is back in the No.6 jersey after missing last year's series with injury. That pushes Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden from five-eighth to the No.14 jersey previously worn by Hunt with distinction.
QUEENSLAND SIDE: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Valentine Holmes, 3 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 4 Robert Toia, 5 Xavier Coates, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c), 8 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, 9 Harry Grant, 10 Moeaki Fotuaika, 11 Reuben Cotter, 12 Jeremiah Nanai, 13 Pat Carrigan, 14 Tom Dearden, 15 Lindsay Collins, 16 Beau Fermor, 17 Trent Loiero, 18 Kurt Mann, 19 Jesse Arthars, 20 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
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