State of Origin 2024: Valentine Holmes feared for representative career after ‘white bag’ scandal

Valentine Holmes has vowed to repay the faith of Queensland coach Billy Slater following a “rollercoaster” 2023 which involved the infamous white bag scandal.

Valentine Holmes is back in Queensland camp following the ‘white bag’ controversy. Picture: Adam Head

Valentine Holmes has vowed to repay the faith of Queensland coach Billy Slater, admitting he feared for his Origin and Test career following his role in the Cowboys’ infamous white bag scandal.

Holmes will represent the Maroons for the first time since his ‘white bag’ social media storm in Wednesday night’s Origin series opener against the Blues at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

The Maroons centre was embroiled in an off-field drama last September when he briefly posted an image on his Instagram account with a white bag between his teeth.

Holmes insisted the incident was a silly prank gone wrong, but the Cowboys and NRL integrity unit threw the book at the Queensland flyer.

The premiership winner was hit with a massive $100,000 fine – $50,000 of which was suspended – and banned for one match, ruling him out of the opening Test of Australia’s Pacific Championships campaign.

The Cowboys also ordered Holmes to personally front the North Queensland board to explain his “immature” behaviour and undergo an education program as the club rammed home its strong anti-drugs stance.

Valentine Holmes is back in Queensland camp following the ‘white bag’ controversy. Picture: Adam Head

As he prepares for his 17th Origin match on Wednesday night, Holmes, now one of Queensland’s most senior players, opened up about the ordeal and how it represented a wake-up call for his career.

“It was a tough time for me,” Holmes said as he recalled his moment of madness.

“Last year as a whole just wasn’t up to standard for myself and the Cowboys and I ended things poorly.

“I got the nod to represent my country again from Mal (Meninga, Australia coach) after everything that happened.

“That brought some joy and happiness back into my life again.

“I got to play my 20th Test for Australia, but it was a real rollercoaster and not something I want to go through again.

“I feel like everyone makes mistakes and all I could do was learn from it and try to be a better person.

“Hopefully, other players can learn from that mistake too.”

If Holmes plays the entire 2024 series, he will be one match shy of receiving the prestigious Dick ‘Tosser’ Turner Medal in 2025 for reaching 20 games for Queensland.

It would be an apt barometer of Holmes’ incredible longevity in the code’s toughest arena and value to the Maroons since making his Origin debut in 2017.

Entering his seventh series – he missed the 2019 campaign due to his NFL dalliance in America – Holmes lauded Slater for not black-listing him from the Maroons following his off-field indiscretion.

Instagram image of Valentine Holmes.

“A bunch of people helped me through that period,” he said.

“My family were there and the Cowboys handled it well.

“Mal Meninga was huge. Just hearing his voice when he called and talked to me, saying that he still wants me involved with the Australian team.

“I didn’t know how long I was going to be suspended for and I missed the first Test, but his belief in me really helped my confidence.

“I’m definitely grateful that Billy stood by me.

“Being in this Queensland team is something I don’t take for granted.

“It’s an honour to wear this jersey and being in this camp, it’s always a tough team to get into.

“They have pretty good depth in the outside backs. For Billy to show faith in me and to give me that Queensland jersey again for the first game, it’s unreal and it’s my time to give back to him and the Maroons team now.”

Holmes admits he had an anxious wait last week after being reported for a hip-drop tackle against the Tigers, only to be cleared by the NRL match-review committee for Origin I.

The Maroons have several goalkicking options for the series opener, but Holmes is keen to retain the duty ahead of Reece Walsh and Daly Cherry-Evans.

“I am not going to lie, I was a bit nervous,” Holmes said of the hip-drop drama.

“I was thinking about my team first when I got sin binned, then it did come to my thoughts that the next game was an Origin game and I could miss it.

“Thankfully, I only got a fine and that was probably as far as it needed to go.

“I’ll always put my hand up to do the goalkicking for Queensland. ‘Walshy’ and ‘Chez’ can kick too and usually we practice together because you never know what’s going to happen in a game.

“If they don’t want to do it, I’m happy to do it.”

Holmes’ form has been patchy this season but Slater backed his senior centre to deliver in an arena in which he has scored 13 tries.

“Val has been quite good the last few weeks,” Slater said.

“I like what Val brings.

“He is a Queensland Origin player and the last few weeks he has focused on his defence and done a wonderful job.

“He will be fine.”