State of Origin 2024: Watch Blues coach Michael Maguire launch fresh barb at Maroons before Game 2

NSW coach Michael Maguire launched one final shot at Queensland’s bow after Camp Maroon left the Blues hanging before Game 2 in Melbourne. WATCH the exclusive video.

Michael Maguire and Billy Slater.

They shook hands after a week of hostility — but don’t be fooled.

The mind games between warring State of Origin coaches Michael Maguire and Billy Slater will continue right into kickoff of Wednesday night’s second game of the series at the MCG.

The mood only worsened on Tuesday when Slater, Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and hooker Harry Grant turned up 10 minutes late to a promotional and media event with NSW.

The Blues were filthy, and Queensland’s tardiness has added further tension and hostility to a volatile build-up to State of Origin II on Wednesday night.

“Well, I always like to turn up on time,” Maguire said of Slater’s late arrival.

The pair finally came face to face at Melbourne’s Federation Square on Tuesday, for the first time since Maguire’s infamous “glass houses” jab, which Slater still tried to claim wasn’t aimed at him.

Once together, they shared just a two-second handshake acknowledgment.

Maguire, Blues captain Jake Trbojevic and backrower Isaah Yeo were at the event 10 minutes early.

With Queensland supporters cheering their arrival, the Maroons contingent waltzed in like rock stars. Maguire waited patiently at the stage entry gate as Slater, a Melbourne Storm legend, stopped and posed for selfies with fans.

The pair finally crossed paths and shook hands ever so briefly before failing to exchange any further words to each other, despite sitting just one metre apart.

The tension kicked off last week when Maguire warned “you have got to make sure you don’t live in glass houses”, in response to Queensland accusations that the Blues illegally targeted Reece Walsh in Origin I.

On Tuesday, pressed on whether his comment was directed at Slater, Maguire said: “I think you’ll work that out. You (this masthead) wrote about it all week. I’m sure people are understanding where that is coming from.

“You heard the things that were said. Let’s leave it at that. But one thing I do is look after my players.”

Blues coach Michael Maguire and Maroons coach Billy Slater during the press conference. Picture: Mark Stewart

Maguire was coy when asked about his relationship with Slater.

“Yeah, fine. We spent a fair bit of time together (at Melbourne Storm) years ago. We’re all good,” he said.

On stage, the pair didn’t look at each other once. Bizarrely, Slater didn’t think he was the target of Maguire’s jibe.

“To be honest, I didn’t feel it was directed at me,” Slater said, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

“I’ve kept my head out of the noise this week. We have had a real focus on us and for me to play my part in that it’s about keeping my head away from that noise and making sure I’m doing my job.

“We (Maguire and himself) are good, we’re good. We did (shake hands). We’re actually not playing. I don’t know if you know that. Those days are gone.”

Asked cheekily what his house was made from, Slater said: “There’s a bit of glass in there, literally.”

Slater’s questionable disciplinary record became a focal point last week in the wake of the glass houses comment, and Maguire had multiple chances throughout the past week to retract his comment, but refused.

Billy Slater and Michael Maguire shake hands in Fed Square.

When talking about the Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii tackle on Channel 9, Slater said: “I honestly don’t like watching it too much, it’s pretty sickening and it’s not good for our game. I can’t imagine too many mums and dads would want to throw their kids in the car and take them and sign them up after watching this sort of stuff.”

In another pre-game drama, immortal Andrew Johns called out Cherry-Evans for a cheap shot on NSW’s Angus Crichton in game one.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it because at this time of year it honestly isn’t in my best interests watching what you guys (media) talk about during the week,’ Cherry-Evans said.

“I don’t mean that disrespectfully, there is obviously a job for you to create hype and excitement about our game.”

Maguire was an assistant at the Storm for five years when Slater was the club’s star fullback.

It’s fitting that they return to Melbourne for what’s shaping as a fiery Origin II encounter.

Originally published as State of Origin 2024: Watch Blues coach Michael Maguire launch fresh barb at Maroons before Game 2