Ricky Stuart: Corey Horsburgh owed explanation from Billy Slater over his Maroons omission

Raiders firebrand Corey Horsburgh has been one of the NRL’s form props in 2025 and his Canberra coach Ricky Stuart says he deserves an explanation from Billy Slater for his Origin omission.

Ricky Stuart has turned up the heat on Maroons coach Billy Slater to tell raging Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh why he can’t get a spot in Queensland’s battling Origin team.

Horsburgh has again been overlooked for selection in Wednesday’s second game of the series in Perth despite being in red-hot touch for high-flying Canberra this season.

A reformed Horsburgh has played a key role in Canberra’s surge to the NRL’s top two in a fearsome middle forwards trio with ex-Maroons enforcer Josh Papalii and Kiwis star Joe Tapine.

The Maroons’ forward pack was badly beaten in Origin I as NSW star Payne Haas ran rampant in a man-of-the-match performance at Suncorp Stadium.

Despite the trouncing, Slater has retained all of his middles for the must-win clash in Perth, only axing halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and bench backrower Beau Fermor, who played 16 minutes in Game One.

Gold Coast duo Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika have been named to start in the front row despite playing in a struggling last-placed Titans team.

After being completely overlooked for Game One, Horsburgh has joined Camp Maroon as 20th man this week with Canberra having a bye.

Horsburgh, 27, appears to have done all he could to earn a Maroons recall after his one-game cameo in 2023 and Stuart said Slater owed him an explanation.

“I don’t know why he’s not picking him but I hope Billy tells him why because he needs to know,” said Stuart, a former NSW coach.

“He is what they (Queensland) need.

“Our team is going well and it comes off the back of what they’re doing in the middle.”

Slater has offered little detailed public explanation when it comes to selection controversies like Cherry-Evans’ axing and Horsburgh’s omission.

Fotuaika was widely-panned for his Game One return, coming up with just four runs for 39m in 45 minutes.

He made 31 tackles, including some key ones, but has been relegated to the bench in Gold Coast’s last two NRL games since Origin I.

Fa’asuamaleaui defended his Titans teammate and said Fotuaika’s input had to be measured by more than statistics.

Ricky Stuart says Horsburgh deserves an explanation. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“He does all the little things that people don’t see,” he said.

“People look at the big plays, big hits and think that’s why they should be in teams.

“Moeaki is that player that’s going to give you eight out of ten every game. He does his job.

“We weren’t perfect in areas, not just Moe, even myself and all of us.

“We’re going to regroup, connect and find our game.”

Horsburgh made a one-off appearance in Queensland’s 2023 dead-rubber loss to the Blues in Sydney.

His career went off the rails last year amid injuries and a poor attitude in Canberra, but he repaired his relationship with Stuart and has started the season on fire.

Horsburgh has been averaging 51 minutes, 116m and 30 tackles for the Raiders and there is a view he could be the forwards x-factor the Maroons need after a Game One bruising.

He is also high on confidence and playing for a winning team.

But Horsburgh won’t get a chance before Game Three at the best, unless Queensland suffers an injury in the forward pack this week.

“Corey is in our squad and is going to bring a lot of value even if he’s not playing,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.

“He loves putting that training kit on and being in the Queensland camp. We love having him here.

“Even though he’s not putting the jersey on, it will mean so much to him.

“He’s of big value to this team.”