Robert Craddock: Award response detracts from Billy Slater’s Origin farewell

INSTEAD of receiving deserved tributes, retiring Maroons champion Billy Slater last night found himself caught in a storm he did not create or deserve, writes ROBERT CRADDOCK.

Billy Slater with player of series medal during Game 3 of the State of Origin series between the NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Picture. Phil Hillyard

SUNCORP Stadium traditionally gives its greatest send-offs to its greatest servants. The trouble was they tried to make it too perfect.

The rousing farewells given to the likes of Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer and Petero Civoniceva seemed to echo around Suncorp Stadium as Billy Slater ended his State of Origin career with a heavy duty 18-12 win over NSW.

Once the final hooter sounded Slater’s face told his story, all at once radiating pride, relief and deep satisfaction. What a man. What a finish. For Slater, the win was enough. The man of the match award was a bonus.

Then the storm hit. A bewildered Slater received the Wally Lewis Medal for the player of the series and within seconds was centre of an online onslaught.

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Instead of the keyboard warriors sending tributes to a champion Slater suddenly found himself caught in a storm he did not create nor deserve. The feedback was so hostile at the decision made by national selectors Darren Lockyer and Laurie Daley that for an hour or so it was as if they had given the award to the touch judge. It actually tarnished the night.

And the worst thing of all was the men with the electric fingers had a point.

Queensland lost the series. Slater played just two games. He played exceptionally well but the man of the series should be the man who most dictated the course of the series ... a James Maloney or a Boyd Cordner perhaps.

That said, for Slater it was a sweet reward for services rendered.

Queensland’s win did not save the series and nor did it convince the rugby league world of anything else but this robust, high spirited NSW team will be anything but a king-sized threat for the next few years.

But after scrambling, breathless, bizarre game of many fascinating threads, the Maroons got there. Phew.

The game defied every well-worn convention in that Queensland could pound the NSW line for six consecutive sets, have 72 per cent of possession in the first half-hour of the match and then concede two first half tries to trail at half time.

But it was that sort of “anything goes’’ contest it was.

Billy Slater was given the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Slater was rocked by a shoulder charge the first time he touched the ball but bounced up as if he had just slipped over in a game of tag. Nothing was going to stop him last night.

He ghosted into backline moves looking as if he was playing his first Origin game not his last.

When everyone else seemed to be running on empty he found the petrol to take down Tom Trbojevic in a try saving tackle in the dying seconds. In a way it was an appropriate punchline because while Slater will always be remembered for being an attacking genius his defence has always been underrated.

The game ebbed back and forth and Valentine Holmes received the sort of ovation normally reserved for World Cup soccer winners when he dived to take an aerial intercept with three minutes to play.Queensland’s future remains unclear for this match basically confirmed what it already knew … that Valentine Holmes is box office, Cameron Munster a big time star but the forwards are solid rather than spectacular. Queensland is craving a big time enforcer in the pack.

The future of Queensland coach Kevin Walters future remains a matter of intrigue. He looks the obvious choice to take over from Wayne Bennett at the Broncos and when-if he does Queensland will have to look for a new coach and they may not have to look far.

Daly Cherry-Evans impressed on his State of Origin return. Picture: Annette Dew

An unsung hero of last night was Queensland under-20s coach Justin Hodges who guided his side to their first win against the Blues and a trouncing it was too.

Hodges has knocked about in life but come out of the tumble dryer a wise owl who has a keen eye for a player and a firm future as a coach.

Queensland can feel comfortable about its future but the days of dominance are over. Everything about these two teams suggest that with Queensland’s astonishing 11 wins from 12 series fading over the horizon normal transition will be resumed where two series wins in a row is a grand achievement and anything beyond that is a mini-dynasty.

NSW are officially a side on the up. Before this series they had 11 debutants. Now they have 11 players undefeated in a series.

Their players can grow in a way Mitchell Pearce never could when his Origin dreams were crushed on an Origin highway by a freight-train steered by some of the greatest players to play the game.

Queensland can build their team around the talents of Cameron Munster. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The crowd booed Daly Cherry-Evans before they saw him last night … then it all changed.

With crisp passing, clever running and cheeky kicks so well-weighted they looked radar controlled, he won over a Suncorp Stadium crowd that had never previously been sure what to make of him.

The true cherry was the one on top of the pie which came when he hustled down field after a Cameron Munster break midway through the second half which broke the game open as he crossed for a try which put Queensland in front.

Cherry-Evans proved once and hopefully for all that is a State of Origin player after all.

And a good one at that.

When Cherry-Evans’ face appeared on the giant scoreboard before kick-off, a chorus of jeers echoed around the ground.

Tom Trbojevic is one of several Blues players who could be playing Origin for a long time. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Some were from Blues fans but plenty were from Queensland fans who have never taken to the fresh-faced enigma who at 29 is proving himself.

Queensland avoided a dreaded blue-washed 3-0 drought with but let’s not get carried away.

This NSW side in some patches were even more impressive than they were in the first two games. They have done a Queensland on Queensland this series. Turning up for each other in wave after desperate wave of defence.

The future is fascinating. Bring on next year.