State of Origin 2024: Queensland coach Billy Slater makes Maroons watch a replay of MCG demolition

Queensland coach Billy Slater has put a rocket up the Maroons during a brutal honesty session ahead of next week’s Origin series decider.

Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater pictured before the start of Game Two at the MCG in Melbourne. Picture Instagram @qldmaroons

Billy Slater has turned from Mr Nice Guy to “angry dad” after making the Maroons sit through a brutal honesty session.

In the lead-up to next Wednesday’s series decider, Slater made Queensland’s bruised Origin stars watch a replay of the Game Two massacre at the MCG in Camp Maroon this week.

The Maroons produced their worst half in Origin’s 44-year history a fortnight ago in Melbourne, allowing NSW to bolt to a stunning 34-0 lead.

Queensland fought back to make it 38-18 at full-time, but the damage was done and NSW will head to Suncorp Stadium brimming with confidence as they attempt to stop a three-peat of Maroons series wins under Slater.

Instead of holding a traditional media session on the first day of camp, Slater made the Maroons sit through a replay of the Melbourne meltdown.

Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater forced his team to watch Origin II. Picture Instagram @qldmaroons

“We had a look at the Melbourne game and it was definitely a tough watch, that is for sure,” hooker Ben Hunt said.

“Billy definitely had honest conversations with a fair few of us. I don’t think there were many guys in that game that could say they played a good game of footy. It was a tough video session but one we needed.

“There were definitely some embarrassing moments for sure. In the first half there were some real poor defensive errors. They played a great game but we weren’t at our best.

“He was like the angry dad a bit. He was a bit disappointed in us. We had an honest video session and he pointed a few things out that he wasn’t happy with.

“I don’t like to lose and to lose like that in an Origin jersey definitely burns. We have got to make up for that this week.

“I have always loved coaches (that are honest). I don’t want my coach to dance around the hard conversations.

“I want to know where we stand and Billy is one of those. He pointed out a lot of things that went wrong and made guys accountable for their actions.”

Hunt will enter an exclusive club when he makes his 20th Origin appearance for Queensland in the decider, earning the esteemed “Tosser” Turner Medal.

He made his debut off the bench in 2017 and started a couple of games at halfback before developing into Queensland’s interchange utility and now starting hooker.

One of Hunt’s finest Origin moments came in the 2022 decider, when he raced 70m to seal victory for the Maroons, and he is hoping to savour another Suncorp success this year.

“It is a huge honour (to play 20 Origins). You look at the list of the guys that have made it and to be in their company is something I am very proud of,” Hunt said.

“Making my debut in a decider at Suncorp, and we won, is pretty special. That one (in 2022) with the runaway try is definitely up there as well.

“It was definitely a bad defeat down in Melbourne and something that we are looking to improve on. In 2022 we had a pretty bad loss in game two and came to Brisbane and won in a tight game.

“I think it is going to be like that Wednesday night. It is going to be a tough battle and a tight game and one both teams are going to be up for.

“Coming back to Suncorp it is always the place we play our best footy. It is our home ground and a place where you don’t like to lose. It brings out the best in us.

“We just need to draw on everything we can, embrace the crowd at Suncorp and get a win. When we come back to Suncorp it seems to be the place where we play our best footy.”