Analysis: The six tries that forced Billy Slater into bombshell selection call for Origin decider

Billy Slater is renowned for his attention to detail and for making bold selection calls. And after reviewing 160 minutes of Origin football, the Maroons coach had no choice but to pull the selection trigger for the decider.

Billy Slater has proven he isn’t afraid of making a big call.

The Queensland coach will forever be etched in history as the Maroons mentor who had the gumption to drop long-serving captain Daly Cherry-Evans, the decision proving spot on after Tom Dearden came in and toppled NSW in game two.

Slater and his massive calls have become the story of this series.

He has made more changes to his winning team from Perth for the decider in Sydney on July 9, by fitting Raiders legend Josh Papalii with a Maroons jersey for the first time since 2022 and by plucking 27-year-old Gehmat Shibasaki from the Broncos for his Origin debut.

Valentine Holmes moves from the centre to the wing and Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been shuffled from the wing to fullback for the injured Kalyn Ponga.

This columnist and neither this parochial and proud NSW newspaper, is in the business of helping the Maroons.

Billy Slater. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

However, we’re about to reveal exactly why Slater has chopped and changed his men out wide.

Slater is renowned for his attention to detail and if he can see what this column sees, Queensland had no choice but to name a different line-up for Origin III.

Rugby league folklore goes that the former Storm star has a bank of TV monitors inside a private room of his property on the Mornington Peninsula that he sits and watches hours upon hours of rugby league.

Stop, rewind, play, pause, replay.

Slater tries to find things others can’t see.

Yet even this pesky journalist has found a major area of concern for Slater that has no doubt played a role in the Maroons coach making changes.

A video review of each of the Blues eight tries scored so far this series reveals that six - yes, six - of them were either created or scored by exposing the Maroons right-edge defence.

Again, six of the Blues eight tries this series have been manufactured by attacking to their left and peeling apart the Maroons right-side.

NSW break down left edge Origin I

Zac Lomax try Origin I

On the Blues left side in Origin I were Mitchell Moses, Angus Crichton, Latrell Mitchell and Brian To’o.

In game two, Jarome Luai replaced Moses.

The Blues left-edge have punched holes in Queensland by combining across the two Origin matches with 18 tackle busts, seven offloads and five tries, with To’o scoring four and Crichton one.

It’s worth noting too, that the opening try of Origin I scored by Zac Lomax unfolded all because Crichton began the attacking raid by busting through the Maroons right-edge defence.

Brian To'o try Origin I

NSW second try in Origin I was scored by Mitchell sucking in the defence of Robert Toia and winger Xavier Coates before feeding To’o.

In Perth, the Blues five try comeback included four of those tries being scored through Queensland’s right-edge.

Brian To'o try Origin II

The first try came through Luai kicking in behind Toia for Crichton to soccer the ball ahead and To’o to ground the ball.

The Blues second try picked at the Maroons right-edge again, this time through the elite execution through the hands of Luai to Mitchell, who again sucked in the Maroons winger, this time Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, for To’o to score untouched.

Brian To'o try Origin II

The Blues fourth try was almost identical, this time Luai using Crichton as a decoy to draw in three defenders for Mitchell to deliver a superb catch-and-pass for To’o to score.

Try five went straight back to Queensland’s right edge, this time with Luai dabbing a lovely kick in behind Toia for Crichton to chase through and score.

Ironically, the Blues had a chance to win the game in the dying stages, but for some reason chose to attack the Maroons opposite left side.

Brian To'o try

Throughout this series, the Maroons right-edge defence has chopped and changed between Cherry-Evans, Reuben Cotter, Toia and Xavier Coates in Origin I to Dearden, Reuben Cotter before Jeremiah Nanai came onto the field, Toia and Coates in Origin II.

The actions of Slater have largely been the story ahead of both Origin I and II.

But after Slater watched where the Blues have exposed Queensland so far, it’s the changes he’s made and whether they come off, which will be an even bigger story in the aftermath of the decider.

Angus Crichton try Origin II

Originally published as Analysis: The six tries that forced Billy Slater into bombshell selection call for Origin decider