State of Origin 2018: One change to Maroons’ forward pack could get Queensland back in the game

QUEENSLAND selectors should be cautious about selections based on panic — but after the Maroons missed 51 tackles in game one, there is one crucial change that could swing the series, writes MAL MENINGA.

The Maroons have a big job for game two. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)

TO win State of Origin II, Queensland must make one crucial selection change to their forward pack. His name is Billy Slater.

The Maroons selectors need to be careful about making selections based on panic for the game at ANZ Stadium, but there is no doubt they need to get more out of their forwards if they are to save the series on Sunday week.

Billy will make that difference.

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Slater organisation will be vital for Queensland. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

I am not suggesting Billy pull on the No.10 jersey and get through 20 hit-ups — but it also easy to forget just how much influence he has on the Maroon and the way that they play.

As brilliant as he is in attack, with his running game and all aspects of fullback play, it is Billy’s communication in defence that makes the biggest difference to the players around him.

You don’t need a magnifying glass to work out where things went wrong for the Maroons in Origin I.

They missed 51 tackles, the majority of those in the middle of the field, and that leads to problems in other areas.

With Billy at the back organising the defence, Queensland’s middle third will tighten up considerably because he will be directing the defenders about where to stand, who to watch, and where to move.

With the big forwards operating under such massive fatigue, having Billy at the back doing their thinking in defence for them makes the world of difference.

Rather than having to make decisions under fatigue, the forwards just need to follow Billy’s orders. The job becomes much easier.

The Maroons paid for a lack of vision at the back. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

So with the Maroons missing fewer tackles in the middle of the field, the forwards will not tire as quickly.

That means they will have more energy and impact in attack, making more metres, which in turn means there will be more room for the playmakers to operate in.

Fatigue also leads to errors, which in turn compounds by leading to more fatigue and even more errors.

With Billy back, those problems go away. He is simply that important.

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Need proof? Look back to the first game of last year’s series, when the Maroons were steamrolled through the forwards at Suncorp Stadium with Billy not in the team.

On that night, Queensland missed 51 tackles — the same as last Wednesday night. The number may be a coincidence, but the reason is not.

With Billy back in the second and third games, Queensland were back to their normal selves and won the series.

Yes, Kevin Walters made a number of changes to the team after the first game of last year’s series — changes that made a big difference to Queensland’s performance.

But the most critical change was the inclusion of Billy.

This time around, Billy aside, I don’t think the Queensland selectors need to be panicked into making too many changes to save the series in Sydney.

I really like the look of the Queensland team for Origin I, and I haven’t changed my mind after what I saw in the 22-12 loss to the Blues.

Queensland lost the game but were not comprehensively beaten at the MCG.

The Maroons will be better across the park in Origin II — because they have to be, and because Billy will make them as good as they can be.

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Originally published as State of Origin 2018: One change to Maroons’ forward pack could get Queensland back in the game