State of Origin 2023, Queensland news: Billy Slater’s cheeky Bellamy sledge, Cameron Munster rib injury

Queensland coach Billy Slater has taken a cheeky dig at Craig Bellamy over his former coach’s shocking Origin record after brushing some selection advice from the Melbourne mentor.

Melbourne super coach Craig Bellamy has urged Queensland mentor Billy Slater to start Storm sensation Harry Grant at hooker ahead of Ben Hunt to terrorise the Blues from the opening minutes of Origin I.

For the second consecutive series, Slater has handed the coveted No.9 jumper to Hunt and named Grant as his super sub as the Maroons look to draw first blood at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday week.

Hunt vindicated Slater’s tactical methodology last season with a magnificent 2022 campaign, headlined by his last-minute try to seal Queensland’s series-winning boilover of the Blues in the Suncorp decider.

But Grant has had a blistering start to the 2023 premiership - he is third in Dally M Medal voting entering Origin I - and former NSW coach Bellamy is adamant the Storm schemer deserves to be Queensland’s starting hooker.

Harry Grant (C) and Ben Hunt (R) played pivotal roles in winning last year’s Origin series. Picture: NRL Photos

Intriguingly, Bellamy and Slater share a close bond, with the Queensland coach also employed as an assistant to the five-time premiership-winning Storm mentor.

“I would be starting him,” said Bellamy of Grant.

“He can play 80 minutes every week.

“The only reason I would be thinking of that (Grant operating as a No.14 bench utility for Queensland) is if Harry can come on fresh after 20 minutes and do more damage.

“That might be a good reason (to start Hunt), but for me, from what I’ve seen, I’d be starting Harry.

“It’s not my job to decide it, Billy will make the right decision I’m sure.”

Slater responded with a light-hearted jibe at Bellamy, who lost three consecutive series as NSW coach, winning just two of nine games between 2008-10.

Craig Bellamy’s record with NSW was less than stellar. Picture: Gregg Porteous

The Queensland coach continued the tactical mind games with the Blues, refusing to rule out the possibility of pulling a late selection switch by starting Grant at hooker on game day.

“Craig had his chance to build his team in Origin ... sorry Craig,” said Slater with a wry grin.

“We have named that team (with Hunt starting), but we still have to work out who starts and who doesn’t start.

“I will discuss that with the coaches and work out what’s the best dynamic for our team.

“Ben Hunt was super last year, he came up with some really big moments and you know what you get with Harry.

“He is a crafty little number nine who works hard. He has Origin efforts in him all over the place.

“That (Grant starting) is still a possibility, Craig might just get his wish, we will find out.”

While Grant came off the bench last year, the Maroons maestro still enjoyed plenty of game time.

The 25-year-old had greater involvement as the series progressed, playing 43 minutes in Game One, 48 in Origin II and 51 in Queensland’s 22-12 triumph in the Suncorp decider.

ORIGIN RIBBING: HURT MUNSTER TAUNTS BLUES’ PACK

By Peter Badel

Cameron Munster has dared the Blues to try and target his busted ribs as the Maroons maestro outlined his plans to dominate State of Origin like Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston.

Munster will underline his extreme toughness and ferocious competitive fire when he carries rib-cartilage damage into Wednesday week’s Origin opener against the Blues at Adelaide Oval.

The Maroons five-eighth first broke his ribs against Manly in round 7 and revealed he has been receiving painkilling injections to also manage cartilage damage in recent weeks.

Munster had no issues getting through Queensland’s first training session on Tuesday – a gruelling two-hour session at Broncos headquarters at Red Hill – and the Maroons No. 6 may require another needle for Origin I.

Cameron Munster passes during last year’s State of Origin series.

Munster is attended to by a trainer.

New South Wales’ pack will almost certainly make a beeline for Munster’s midsection in the series opener, but Queensland’s backline X-factor had a simple message in the face of a Blues onslaught.

“They will be out there to get me — bring it on,” Munster said.

“They always target me, so it’s no different to anything.

“I’m a little (playmaker) that gets flogged around a little bit, so it will be no different this time.”

Munster is preparing to play through the pain for Queensland.

Following Melbourne’s defeat of the Dolphins on Saturday night, Munster revealed the extent of his rib injuries, but his candid confessions have gone down like a lead balloon with Queensland coach Billy Slater.

In round 1 against the Eels, Munster played through the pain of a compound fracture in his finger and says battered ribs won’t stop him in his mission to terrorise the Blues.

“It is what it is,” he said of his latest injury battle, which included hyperextending his elbow against the Dolphins.

“I probably put my foot in it (revealing his injuries) but at the end of the day that is something I do most of the time in my life.

“I probably got a little bit of a rocket from the coaching staff about giving the details away so I’ve got to keep my mouth shut now.

“I’m all right, I just need to have some more cement, I was probably carrying on a bit, but I’ll be fine.”

Munster wants to be in the same class as Johnathan Thurston.

Munster plays his 16th Origin game on Wednesday week and is hellbent on atoning for missing last year’s epic win in the series decider after contracting Covid in the lead-up to Game Three.

The Queensland pivot warned the Blues he is not the finished product in the Origin arena and is determined to emulate 37-game champion Thurston by becoming a Maroons great.

“I just think me being able to control the game a bit more and probably not be as erratic at certain stages of the game,” said Munster, Queensland’s player of the series in 2020.

“I guess with the ADHD that I have got in my body it is probably the instinct that I have.

“It works at times but I just want to be more consistent in certain areas of the game with my decision-making.

“If I can do that I can elevate into the calibre of (James) Tedesco, Nathan Cleary and ‘JT’ (Thurston).

“Until I can do that I will probably be just a good player.”