Canterbury winger Josh Addo-Carr is poised for a State of Origin recall after making a solid return from an ankle injury in the Bulldogs' come-from-behind 20-18 defeat of Gold Coast.

NSW is low on experienced outside back options for the May 31 series opener and all eyes were on Addo-Carr when he took the field on Sunday for the first time since a syndesmosis injury on Good Friday.

In his only game before Origin teams are announced on Monday, Addo-Carr finished with a try and 81 metres after the Titans controlled territory and limited his opportunities in the first half.

The Australian international was defensively sound at Accor Stadium, rock-solid under the high ball and proved his injury had not diminished his trademark speed

That is likely to be enough for NSW coach Brad Fittler, especially given Addo-Carr's form since his controversial omission from last year's series, plus his 12 games of Origin experience.

"It was good to have him back," coach Cameron Ciraldo said.

"Foxx is an experienced player, he's been on that (Origin) stage before, he knows what it takes so I'm sure if he's given an opportunity, he'll do NSW proud."

Queensland's Origin hopefuls David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui established the Titans' 14-0 halftime lead but the Bulldogs rallied as halfback Matt Burton found his rhythm after the break.

The Bulldogs seized the advantage for the first time when winger-turned-middle forward Jayden Okunbor found a hole in the defence after a set restart at close range in the final three minutes.

Fa'asuamaleaui faces a nervous wait for the match review committee's charge sheet after raising his forearm on Reed Mahoney as the Bulldogs hooker attempted a tackle. He then up-ended Tevita Pangai with a dangerous throw.

The Titans captain was placed on report for the second incident but appears more likely to face fines than bans.

Fifita opened the scoring by barging over down the short side in the third minute and is a strong chance to start on an edge for the Maroons in place of the suspended Felise Kaufusi, despite a quieter second half.

Fa'asuamaleaui helped the Titans extend their lead just before the break when he pulled his arm free of the Bulldog defenders and offloaded to Joe Stimson.

Mahoney was placed on report for a hip-drop-style tackle on Moeaki Fotuaika, swinging around and bringing Fotuaika down in an awkward position, though the Bulldog later said he didn't think the tackle qualified as a hip-drop infringement.

"I didn't think it was," Mahoney said.

"But that's what they've seen at the time. I definitely didn't agree with him (the referee) but it's something they're trying to stamp out so I understand that.

"There probably does need to be a bit more clarity but I didn't think it was as bad as what it looked."

Tries to Jake Averillo and Jacob Kiraz came directly after Burton's signature bomb kicks, while Addo-Carr's was on the back of the halfback's line break.

Okunbor snatched a win at the death that hoists the Bulldogs off the bottom of the ladder. The loss continues the Titans' recent trend of second-half fades.

"We again found a way to not win a game. We did everything right," said coach Justin Holbrook.

"You don't lead 14-0 and not know what you're doing. We're just finding ways to come unstuck.

"We were in complete control of the game and we didn't win it. I feel awful."

© AAP 2023

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui has brushed aside concerns he could join Felise Kaufusi in being at risk of missing State of Origin I for Queensland through suspension.

Hours after Kaufusi was hit a three-game ban for his high shot on Christian Welch, Fa'asuamaleaui had his own issues in Gold Coast's 20-18 loss to Canterbury.

Running the ball at speed, Fa'asuamaleaui raised his forearm and connected with Reed Mahoney's head in a bumper-bar style incident.

The contact forced Mahoney off the field for a HIA, before the Bulldogs hooker returned after halftime.

The incident was not penalised but can still be reviewed by the match review committee and a charge handed down if deemed appropriate.

Fa'asuamaleaui is expected to start for Queensland in Origin I in Adelaide on May 31, and remains confident he will not be handed a one-game ban that will rule him out of the match.

"I just think it's a contact sport," Fa'asuamaleaui said.

"Obviously I am running as hard as I can and Reed gets out of the line as hard as he can.

"He is half my size, and obviously it's going to be hard not to get away without a shoulder or whatever is in front of his face.

"I am just glad he got back on the field alright."

Fa'asuamaleaui was later penalised for lifting Tevita Pangai in a tackle.

"There was no malice," the Titans captain said.

"I was just trying to do an old-school tackle and get underneath him. It came off wrong."

If either incident was to attract a grade-two charge Fa'asuamaleaui would be at risk of missing the match.

It comes as Kaufusi weighs up whether to challenge his charge and risk missing Origin II in the process.

The Dolphins' second-rower's poor judiciary record means he can only accept a three-game ban.

That would mean he is unable to play again until Origin II, putting his spot in the Maroons' side for that match in jeopardy.

If Kaufusi was to try to downgrade the charge in a bid to play in Game I and lose, his ban would extend to a fourth match, which would rule him out of the second interstate fixture.

Slater said he would speak to Kaufusi before deciding whether to consider him for selection.

"I thought it was a silly act," Slater said on Nine's Sunday Footy Show.

"We'll just have to wait and see over the next 24 hours what Felise wants to do. Whether he wants to fight it and make himself eligible for selection."

If Kaufusi is ruled out, it will likely open the door for David Fifita to return to the Maroons team either on the bench or in the second row.

Fifita impressed in the Titans' win over the Bulldogs, scoring one try and setting up another.

© AAP 2023

Universal free kindergarten has been put on Queensland's pre-budget agenda as a potential cost-of-living salve for families.

The Queensland government has flagged it is seriously considering making kindergarten free for all children, following in the footsteps of states such as NSW and Victoria.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wants to close the gap and get more children into "free kindy" to experience crucial play-based learning before entering primary school.

"What we are hearing from our prep teachers is that there is a big gap between those children who have had kinder and those who have not," she told reporters at Brisbane's New Farm Park on Sunday.

Kindergarten is already free for roughly 14,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Queensland and subsidised for a further 26,000 under a $1 billion package over the next five years.

But about 8000 kindergarten-age children across the state are still not enrolled.

Making it free will bring more of those kids into the system and help families' hip pockets, Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace said.

"It'll mean that over 50,000 families will have cost of living relief," she added.

"It'll be a remarkable saving and it is something that we are seriously considering in relation to the budget."

Ms Grace stopped short of declaring the policy a sure thing and declined to provide a cost estimate, saying the government wanted to first consult with stakeholders and families.

Victoria and NSW are moving to provide all children in their state with a full year of free education before officially starting school.

Both programs are expected to be rolled out by the end of the decade.

The Palaszczuk government will look at the various proposed models as a blueprint but Ms Grace pointed out Queensland's pre-school system differs to other states.

"We're more closely aligned with NSW," Ms Grace said.

"Our delivery mode is definitely one that we can definitely do it but we want to talk to service providers too about how we identify the kindy component in long day care so they get those 15 hours fully funded and free."

The Queensland state budget will be handed down on June 13.

© AAP 2023

Energy security and the transition to renewables are in the spotlight as the prime minister meets with world leaders in Japan.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chaired the Quad leaders' dialogue meeting - which included the leaders of the United States, India and Japan - on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

Mr Albanese said the Quad would work towards accelerating and expanding clean energy supply chains and boost the workforce in the critical mineral sector.

Alongside US President Joe Biden, Mr Albanese signed a critical mineral and clean energy pact that would put climate and clean energy as a central pillar of the bilateral alliance.

Mr Biden will also lobby Congress to carve out Australia in domestic legislation that would allow the transfer of some otherwise barred defence and technology exports, as well as expand the potential for businesses to co-operate over clean energy technology.

"The president will support the Congress taking action to treat Australian suppliers and activity as domestic activity in the United States for the purpose of the Defence Production Act," Mr Albanese told reporters in Hiroshima on Sunday.

"Canada has that at the moment and if we think about industries like hydrogen, without that support, there would be a massive incentive for hydrogen-based industries to be based in the United States."

The prime minister said there was a risk investment and businesses would leave Australia to set up shop in the US due to incentives being offered under the Inflation Reduction Act, which is leveraging hundreds of billions of dollars worth of clean energy subsidies.

"This is about addressing that," he said.

The Quad partners will also stump up support for the clean energy transition, including through a combined effort to boost renewables and energy security in the Indo-Pacific.

Following a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the two leaders agreed to broaden trade and investment.

"The prime minister underscored Australia's commitment to remaining a reliable supplier of energy to Japan as both economies transition to net zero," a readout of the meeting said.

The Quad leaders also agreed they would "act together as a force for good to find common solutions for region-wide benefit", in a joint vision statement released after the leaders' meeting on Saturday.

Mr Albanese said the Quad was "an action-based forum".

He said the Quad partners stood for "an open, stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region - a region where sovereignty is respected, and all countries large and small benefit from a regional balance that keeps the peace".

The prime minister said the nations needed to work together to ensure the same guardrails that were applied between US and Soviet Union competition during the Cold War were put in place in the Indo-Pacific amid China's rise.

The prime minister also added the president had told him Australia "punched above its weight".

Saturday's vision statement of the Quad - whose leaders first met in a virtual format in March 2021 and held face-to-face talks in the US in September 2021 - said the group would build on past examples of co-operation.

"Recently, in our response to the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we joined together to expand safe, affordable and effective vaccine production and equitable access," it said.

"The Indo-Pacific's key challenges of health security, rapidly changing technology, the grave threat of climate change and the strategic challenges facing the region, summon us to act with renewed purpose."

The Quad members originally had been scheduled to meet in Sydney next week but rescheduled for the sidelines of the G7 to allow Mr Biden to return to Washington DC on Sunday in hopes of finalising a deal to increase the debt ceiling before the US runs out of cash to pay its bills.

Mr Albanese will return to Australia on Sunday in preparation for the Indian prime minister's arrival on Monday.

© AAP 2023