Explosive conspiracy theory behind Billy Slater’s selection snub

A former NSW coach has floated a conspiracy theory to explain Billy Slater’s divisive decision to axe one of Queensland’s biggest stars.

Is David Fifita going the way of DCE?

NSW Origin legend Laurie Daley has helped raise a conspiracy theory to explain Queensland’s surprise call to axe David Fifita.

Maroons coach Billy Slater on Monday confirmed his decision to snub Fifita from his 20-man squad for the State of Origin series opener on June 5 at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

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Dragons star Jaydn Su’A will take over from Fifita in the back-row, with Jeremiah Nanai the other starting back-rower.

In a sign of how far Fifita has fallen in the pecking order, Parramatta forward J’maine Hopgood will start on the bench, while Brisbane’s Brendan Piakura and Dolphins veteran Felise Kaufusi have also been named ahead of him in the extended squad.

Slater dropped a truth bomb on Fifita in his Monday press conference, declaring the Gold Coast wrecking ball has not played at the same standard he set last year.

However, Daley earlier questioned if there was more to it.

Fifita’s axing comes just 10 days after the 24-year-old’s shock decision to backflip on the Roosters.

Is David Fifita going the way of DCE?

The Titans forward was widely criticised for the move, having reportedly agreed to terms on a $3.3 million, four-year deal.

Titans fans had earlier booed Fifita when he had made an initial decision to activate a contract clause to put himself on the open market.

Fifita’s last-minute change of heart was cheekily referred to by some as a “reverse DCE” after Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans famously backflipped on the Titans before signing his 10-year deal with Manly.

Cherry-Evans was also booed by fans north of the Tweed and was famously labelled a “filthy cockroach” in a back page story by The Gold Coast Bulletin.

Cherry-Evans was then exiled from the Queensland team at State of Origin level.

A bizarre theory has now emerged the same could be happening to Fifita.

“I’m shocked David Fifita isn’t there. He played all three games last year,” Sky Sports radio host Gerard Middleton said on Monday.

“Conspiracy theory. The backflip. How that’s viewed externally? Whether they think that’s the right mindset.”

Daley responded on the show by saying it could be “part” of the decision that has seen Fifita on the outer.

“And he was great last year too,” Daley said of Fifita.

“Didn’t Daly Cherry-Evans, when he made that decision to backflip too, didn’t he get left out of that Queensland side? I’m pretty sure around that time, he might have been exiled. That might be part of it. I’m not sure. But yesterday’s performance from Fifita was damaging, the amount of work that he got through.

No room for you, David. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Billy swung the axe. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

“I must say, if I’m NSW I’m happy he’s not in that squad.”

Fifita will be hoping he won’t have to wait as long as Cherry-Evans did to return to the Origin arena.

Rumblings emerged he was disliked within the Maroons squad and his backflip on the Titans angered many across the Sunshine State.

Queensland selectors’ decision to draft Ben Hunt in to replace an injured Johnathan Thurston for the 2017 series decider only fuelled speculation he was being frozen out.

But the gun halfback kept on delivering for the Sea Eagles and faced a three-year exodus from the Queensland side before he was finally recalled for Game III of the 2018 series.

Slater insisted on Monday Fifita will not have to wait long for a chance to represent Queensland again.

Slater’s first question when he fronted the press on Monday was about Fifita and the Melbourne Storm icon dropped a truth bomb on the axed Titan.

“Dave created a really high standard for his footy last year. He just hasn’t quite got to that standard this year,” he said.

“I spoke to Dave last night. He’s taken the disappointing news like a true Queenslander.

“He wished the best for the footy team. He further re-iterated that with a text message afterwards.

“I’ve got no doubt that David will get back to the footy that he did last year and will wear a Maroons jersey in the future again.”

Official Queensland team for Game 1

Billy Slater and David Fifita.

1 Reece Walsh

2 Xavier Coates

3 Valentine Holmes

4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow

5 Murray Taulagi

6 Tom Dearden

7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c)

8 Reuben Cotter

9 Ben Hunt

10 Lindsay Collins

11 Jaydn Su’A

12 Jeremiah Nanai

13 Pat Carrigan

Bench:

14 Harry Grant

15 Moeaki Fotuaika

16 J’Maine Hopgood

17 Selwyn Cobbo

Reserves: 18. Felise Kaufusi, 19. Brendan Piakura, 20. Ezra Mam

The axing comes after NSW Blues coach Michael Maguire delivered a new-look squad with six debutants named.

Originally published as Explosive conspiracy theory behind Billy Slater’s selection snub