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David Fifita has admitted he didn't deserve to be picked for Queensland's State of Origin team last year, but says his omission was the catalyst for his current career-best form.

Fifita has charged back into Origin contention for the Maroons, after Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook declared on the weekend this had been his best season for the Titans.

The 23-year-old claimed his first try of the season in the Titans' 26-10 win over Manly, but the bigger improvement has been his increased involvements and defensive output.

Part of the Maroons' Origin side in 2019 and 2021, Fifita missed out on Game I last year when he battled a knee injury in the lead up.

He was then overlooked for the final two matches as Queensland stuck solid with largely the same pack to win the series 2-1 while Fifita's own club form sagged after his return from injury.

"I tried to rush back ... but really I didn't deserve to be there," Fifita said.

"I had a good look at myself.

"Just at my game and my off-field stuff. Stuff like that."

Fifita said that had prompted his form this season, after earning plaudits through the Titans off-season.

He is favoured to return for the Maroons for the May 31 series opener in Adelaide, with the hulking second-rower at his best and incumbent Jeremiah Nanai suspended.

"That is always my dream and goal, to be there," he said.

"With my position there is great competition. With the boys that have done it before me, they are the benchmark.

"I know what I need to do. I need to keep working hard for the Titans."

Fifita's return to form has coincided with a switch to the Titans' left to play alongside Kieran Foran.

While the pair haven't quite run riot down that side, Saturday's performance at Brookvale was Fifita's best of the season, bringing a powerful try and with his quick hands used to set up another.

"If you are picking a Queensland team on form then he is well and truly in it," Foran told AAP.

"He's in as good of form as he has ever been in. He is just a special player, there's no other way to put it."

Foran said the major difference he had noted in Fifita was his grittiness in attack and defence, after the pair shut down Manly wrecking ball Haumole Olakau'atu.

"We're so used to with Dave, seeing him do the great runs and score the tries," Foran said.

"But the thing is this year we're seeing him bounce, get back to the line. He's fast, his line speed is great. That whole left edge, everything starts with Dave.

"And then on top of that you get the flashes of brilliance; scores tries out of dummy-half, and the deft passes."

© AAP 2023

A nurse on her way home from night shift was among three people killed in a multi-car crash allegedly caused by a 13-year-old boy driving a stolen Mercedes.

A fourth woman is also fighting for life in hospital following the horror smash.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her heart went out to the families impacted by the fatal collision, which happened in the regional town of Maryborough on Sunday night.

"This is an awful, awful tragedy," she said. "It just should not be happening."

Police, paramedics and firefighters responded to the emergency, as well as specialist staff aboard a Royal Flying Doctor plane diverted to the town.

Colleagues of the killed nurse were among those who rushed to the scene.

"A number of nurses who were ceasing duty and a paramedic who was ceasing duty, who are known to ... the nurse that's passed away ... came and assisted," Queensland Ambulance operations supervisor Martin Kelly said.

The incident is having "a tremendous impact" on health and emergency services workers, he said.

"A number of our paramedics know the nurse as well and it makes it very difficult when responders know people involved in theses incidents."

A 13-year-old Bundaberg boy is in custody after being charged with three counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He was allegedly driving the stolen car when it crashed into the back of a Holden on Saltwater Creek Rd about 10.45pm.

The Holden then hit a Mazda travelling in the opposite direction, killing its driver and sole occupant, a 52-year-old Torquay woman.

The driver and passenger of the Holden, a 17-year-old Oakhurst girl and 29-year-old Maryborough woman, also died at the scene.

A second passenger in the Holden, a 23-year-old Tinana woman, was airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a critical condition.

Several families and a large circle of friends would be affected across the Maryborough region, Assistant Police Commissioner Brian Connors said.

"All of the persons involved from the victims' side ... are all local people who have roots in the community," he said.

Police believe the car was stolen in Maryborough several hours before the incident and investigations are under way into what happened between the theft and the crash.

The alleged driver is known to police but wasn't subject to any form of bail undertaking and is due to face Maroochydore Childrens Court at a later date.

Police are also investigating whether there was a passenger in the Mercedes who may have fled the scene.

The charges come six weeks after Queensland passed a suite of measures designed to drive down youth crime, including harsher prison terms for car thieves.

Police continue to investigate the incident and have asked for information from anyone who saw the silver Mercedes in the Maryborough and Hervey Bay area before the crash.

© AAP 2023

The AFL's chairman is defending its "incredibly competitive" global search for a new chief executive which landed on Andrew Dillon, a man in an office near incumbent Gillon McLachlan.

Dillon, currently the AFL's executive general manager football operations, legal and integrity, as well as the organisation's general counsel, will take over from McLachlan on October 2.

AFL chairman Richard Goyder said Dillon was the "standout candidate" from a prolonged search which began when McLachlan announced in April last year he was quitting.

"(Dillon) is an exceptional football person. He has been a key leader in the AFL, he has been involved in every major decision of the AFL for many years," Goyder told reporters on Monday.

The chairman said there was "a field of high-quality candidates in what was a very, very competitive search process".

Among them were internal candidates Travis Auld and Kylie Rogers, who were on hand to witness Dillon's unveiling as McLachlan's successor at Marvel Stadium.

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale and Western Bulldogs president Kylie Watson-Wheeler, the managing director of Disney Australia, were also linked to the role.

Dillon is the third consecutive internal appointment as chief executive after McLachlan and his predecessor Andrew Demetriou.

"I actually think it's a real positive in terms of what's been built here, the fact that Andrew (Dillon) is the right person to take us forward," Goyder said.

"That's why the transition will be seamless and I have no concerns whatsoever about how the transition will work.

"It's how things should work.

"The (AFL) commission did the right thing looking externally and judging all candidates against what we think is best-in-class criteria.

"But it's a hallmark of (McLachlan's) time and good management that within AFL House there's very strong successors."

Dillon rejected suggestions his appointment pointed to an AFL 'boys' club'.

"You only have to look at the calibre of our executive team and the calibre of my football, integrity and legal teams to say that there's no boys' club here," Dillon said.

"We've got a talented, diverse workforce and everyone's opinions are listened to and acted on.

"The more diverse the talent, the better the decisions you get, so I don't buy that one bit."

McLachlan, who has been CEO since April 2014, wanted to stand down at the end of last season but was urged to stay on by the AFL commission amid the search for a replacement.

Goyder said allegations of racism at Hawthorn which emerged last year, and the subsequent investigation, as well as ongoing talks around a 19th club licence in Tasmania, had delayed the appointment.

"There's been a few other things that have been a priority to the AFL which have been incredibly important to the game," Goyder said.

"I don't think we've lost any momentum over the period.

"The leadership Gill has showed has been exemplary through the period and the AFL is in great shape."

Dillion, describing his appointment as humbling, said his mission was to ensure "our game continues to expand its reach".

"I want to have footy in every home across the country," he said.

"We are going to make sure that football is the No.1 sport of choice for everyone all across Australia."

Dillon joined the league in 2000 as legal counsel and has since held several positions including general manager of areas including legal and business affairs, as well as national and international development.

His appointment has prompted a reshuffle in other senior management roles.

The current general manager of competition management, Laura Kane, will now be acting general manager of football.

And the incumbent general manager of legal and regulatory, Stephen Meade, will become the league's general counsel.

© AAP 2023