Maroons legend Cooper Cronk calls for Billy Slater to move Pat Carrigan into starting side for Origin decider

Queensland legend Cooper Cronk has called for Billy Slater to pull a selection shake-up by throwing Pat Carrigan into the starting side for the Origin decider. See why he believes the change must happen.

Queensland great Cooper Cronk has called for Pat Carrigan to be pitchforked into the starting side to rip and tear alongside Josh Papalii and spearhead a Maroons boilover in the Sydney decider.

Cronk has urged Queensland coach Billy Slater, his former Storm premiership teammate, to ignite forward fireworks by unleashing Papalii, Carrigan and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to shake-up the Blues on Wednesday week.

Slater pulled a selection masterstroke in Origin II by not only axing skipper Daly Cherry-Evans in favour of Tom Dearden, but relegating Carrigan to the bench and promoting Trent Loiero to the lock forward role.

Carrigan responded with an outstanding display off the bench, lifting the tempo with a series of bruising charges to help the Maroons to a series-saving 26-24 win in Perth.

But with the series on the line at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, Cronk implored Slater to launch a full-scale assault on the Blues by deploying Carrigan, Papalii and Tino in a three-pronged middle-forward blitz.

Cronk believes that trio can dominate NSW front-row rookie Max King as Queensland look to break 45 years of history by winning a series from 1-0 down with back-to-back triumphs on the road.

Cooper Cronk has called for Billy Slater to promote Patrick Carrigan into the starting side. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“I suggest there will be another change to the starting team because of the influence of ‘Papa’,” said ex-Maroons halfback champion and Fox Sports analyst Cronk.

“I like it (the selection of Papalii), I really do.

“I think Papalii and Tino up front is great, but if I was Billy, I’d make a late change and start Carrigan.

“The reason being, if you look at the starting middle rotation for NSW, it will be King, (Payne) Haas and Isaah Yeo.

“Haas is hard to handle, but Carrigan, Tino and Papa I think could physically outmuscle King when he runs the footy, and Yeo when he runs the footy.

“The presence of Papa is going to ignite something in the Queensland forward pack.

Josh Papalii. Picture: Adam Head

“I would run all-out at the start of the game, put Carrigan in the front row, and go take them on.

“That’s what I’d do.”

Papalii is expected to be used in an explosive 20 or 25-minute burst where the Raiders hitman will fight fire with fire with the Blues pack in a bid to set the platform for a Maroons ambush at Homebush.

Cronk believes the Blues will try to get clean, early ball to centre superstars Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton.

For that reason, he wants Carrigan to start ahead of Loiero to help Papalii and Fa’asuamaleaui win the early exchanges, control field position and suffocate NSW’s ruck speed to combat early attacking shifts.

“If Payne Haas or Max King are going to shift the ball to Latrell or Stephen Crichton, you want to make that (ball service) as slow as you possibly can,” Cronk said.

“Picking Papalii is a good move.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Tino’s going to be inspired by playing alongside him, and I just think Queensland should start the game with Patrick Carrigan … it could be a good thing.”

Cronk says he would have chosen Broncos superstar Reece Walsh to start at fullback but can understand the rationale behind Slater opting for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in the No.1 jumper.

“I am surprised, on face value I thought Reece would be the fullback,” said Cronk, who played 22 Origin games for seven series wins.

“I thought ‘Hammer’ would stay on the wing, but then you start thinking about why would it have happened.

“You think about the halves running the ball. You think about Tom Dearden, Harry Grant and (Cameron) Munster … who would turn up on the inside and score a try?

“Hammer would.

“I think Hammer would just see something pre-emptive and know that Munster is going to step off his left foot, make a line break and he’s back under the posts (to score).

“He did it for his four tries on the weekend (against South Sydney).

“So there’s a few things when you start going below the surface (to explain why Walsh was omitted).

“I personally would have gone with Reece but I can see why Hammer would be the solution at fullback.”

Originally published as Maroons legend Cooper Cronk calls for Billy Slater to move Pat Carrigan into starting side for Origin decider