State of Origin II: Xavier Coates reveals impact of Mulitalo eligibility scandal on result
Late call-up Xavier Coates has opened up on his unorthodox preparation for Origin II and how much damage the Ronaldo Mulitalo eligibility scandal caused in Queensland's crushing defeat.
Queensland's Game II ring-in Xavier Coates says the Ronaldo Mulitalo eligibility scandal was not to blame for their horror loss at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, admitting he was well prepared for the late call up.
Only 24 hours before kick off, Coates was not even in Camp Maroon – with Cronulla winger Mulitalo named to make his Origin debut on the wing.
An investigation into Mulitalo’s eligibility eventually led to the 21-year-old being ruled out of Game II and forced Queensland hierarchy to rush Coates into the starting side on the morning of the game.
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Coates revealed he had received a call from the Queensland team manager late Saturday night to be on standby for Sunday’s match when questions were first raised about Mulitalo’s eligibility criteria.
“I got a phone call (Saturday) night from the manager,” Coates said.
“He gave me a call around 10.30pm and I was already in bed.
“He gave me a call to say they were having a few issues around Ronaldo so he just asked if I was prepared to play (Sunday) night if worst comes to worst.
“I said I was.
“I came into training with the Broncos on Sunday morning and wasn’t even sure if I was to train or not.
“Then Kevvie (Walters) told me to just sit back and not train just in case and I ended up getting a call up.”
Despite the late call up, Coates refused to blame the selection scandal on any disruption leading into their 26-nil loss to New South Wales in Brisbane.
“I had a week off but I was sent sessions to do so I was prepared,” he said.
“As a professional footy player, that’s my job – to be prepared if worst comes to worst.
“Obviously the result wasn’t a very good one.”
Mulitalo took to social media on Sunday to reveal his heartbreak and said he would present an argument to NRL hierarchy to prove he is eligible to play for Queensland.
Coates said Mulitalo was left “shattered” on Sunday but still took the time to chat with his replacement and offer advice.
“He gave me a few tips on what to do when I get out there,” he said.
“It’s always good to get advice from other players who are in the same position as me because I’m always looking to better myself.
“Ronaldo has a lot of knowledge and I took that on board.
“He was obviously very shattered.
“He played Under 18s for Queensland, Under 20s for Queensland and it was a big dream of his to pull on that Maroons jersey for the Queensland seniors.
“He was definitely really shattered but he didn’t let that hold back from giving advice and tried to help me get better as a player.”
DIABOLICAL MAROONS IN DANGER OF SINKING FURTHER
Before 52,273 fans at Suncorp, the embattled Maroons were ripped apart by NSW's sublime back five as new Queensland coach Paul Green was left to digest the pain of back-to-back heavy losses to concede Origin supremacy in straight sets.
The strife-torn Maroons could suffer their first 3-0 clean sweep in 21 years in Game Three on July 14 as Brad Fittler's troops prepare for Blue Murder.
"I can't believe it's over," Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans said. "They are a great side and were probably more motivated to win this series.
"It hurts a lot right now. I don't even want to think about losing 3-0."
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Worse still, Green's troops are on track to become the worst team in State of Origin's 41-year history if the Maroons fail to muster some fighting spirit for the dead rubber.
After two games of this series, the Maroons are trailing 76-6 - a losing margin of 70 points - and, if this performance is any barometer, Green's men are hurtling toward becoming the Biggest Losers in Origin history.
This was a diabolical display by Queensland. It was the first time in Origin history they have been held to zero at Suncorp. They were slow and predictable as they crashed to an 18-0 half-time deficit and never looked likely.
While NSW's attack hummed like a Ferrari, Queensland spluttered like a 1978 Datsun as the sloppy Maroons were annihilated by the scorching speed of Blues backline diamonds Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell, James Tedesco and Josh Addo-Carr.
Not even the return of Josh Papalii from suspension could bring mongrel to the Maroons, whose build-up was marred by the loss of Reece Walsh and the stunning eligibility drama that saw Ronaldo Mulitalo scratched on game day.
"We just lost the series, I'm disappointed," Green said.
CENTRE OF ATTENTION
Queensland's dearth of centre options crystallises why the Maroons are a state in crisis. Queensland have the depth of a toddler pool and it's a huge worry for the Origin concept.
The glorious Maroons dynasty of Mal Meninga's reign from 2006-2015 is a distant memory with Queensland now relying on a makeshift centre in Kurt Capewell to muzzle the No.1 player in the game in NSW genius Trbojevic.
What hope have the Maroons got?
The narrative of this series has been the chasm of class in the centres. NSW duo Trbojevic and Mitchell have scored seven tries in two games and simply savaged Capewell and Dane Gagai out wide, leaving the Maroons pulverised and powerless. Queensland once had the champion players. Now NSW have the blue-chip brilliance.
POP GUN MAROONS
Green lamented the Maroons' shoddy midfield in Game One. This time, the Maroons had a multitude of problems, chiefly their pedestrian attack and alarming lack of rhythm.
If the Blues are blessed with a back five of rocket launchers, the Maroons possess water pistols. Queensland's attack was incohesive and impotent.
Halves Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans have played a combined 27 Origin games, 15 more than NSW opposites Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary, but their option-taking was manic and ill-conceived.
In 160 minutes of this series, Queensland have managed one try and six points. They are being outclassed by NSW like never before.
"We're just not icing our opportunities," Green said. "We are creating chances but not taking them."We are putting ourselves under pressure, we need to be better in that area."
NOT MY VALENTINE
The jury remains out on Valentine Holmes' capability as a fullback in the Origin arena.
For the second consecutive Origin game, Holmes was forced to answer a fullback SOS following the late withdrawal of debutant Walsh and his shift from the wing was again problematic.
Holmes simply belongs on the wing. He is a sublime finisher. At the back, he is still developing his vision and game awareness, as evidenced in the 26th minute when he threw a poor long ball which Mitchell intercepted in his 85-metre sprint for a 12-0 lead.
But forget the backfield. The Maroons have problems across the park.
"Hopefully this sparks something inside us to fight back," Cherry-Evans said. "We have to change a few things with the style of footy we're playing."
MULITALO SAGA THE KILLER BLOW FOR QUEENSLAND
The Queensland camp have said the Ronaldo Mulitalo eligibility scandal was an unwelcome disruption in the lead up to Sunday’s 26-nil loss at Suncorp Stadium.
The Maroons were forced into a late squad reshuffle just hours before kick off when Mulitalo was pulled out of the Queensland squad amid an eligibility investigation.
The 21-year-old Cronulla winger was set to make his Origin debut at Suncorp Stadium after coming into the starting side for the injured Reece Walsh.
However, the NSWRL launched a protest into his Maroons eligibility, which eventually saw the youngster ruled out of Game 2.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s horror 26-nil loss, Green labelled it as a “massive break down” in the selection process.
“It was very disruptive but I thought the group handled it pretty well,” Green said.
“I don’t know if it (had an effect on Sunday’s scoreline).
“It’s a massive break down in the process and I don’ think that’s finished yet.
“All the information that was available to us, he was eligible to play.
“He signed his last two contracts and in that, signed his eligibility to play for Queensland.
“We don’t register the contracts, we just get a list off the database on who says they’re eligible based on that.
“There were a lot of conversations going on.
“It’s not ideal but I thought we handled it well.”
Mulitalo took to social media on Sunday to reveal the heartbreak of missing out on representing Queensland and would fight to get back into Origin selection.
However, NRL CEO Andrew Adbo has left the door open for Mulitalo to still represent Queensland if he produces the correct paperwork.
Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans said the entire situation should have been avoided in the first place.
“I honestly can’t measure it because it’s never happened before,” Cherry-Evans said.
“It’s a real different one and I honestly thought we did so well to put it to the side.
“I thought the way we showed our intensity and our effort, it didn’t knock us about too much.
“We’ll never know (what effect it had).
“It’s never been seen before and I hope it doesn’t happen again because I can’t imagine what’s been going through poor Ronaldo’s head in the past 24 hours.
“It’s a shame that we’ve done that.”
Blues coach Brad Fittler said he felt for the young winger.
“I feel for (Mulitalo) and for Reece (Walsh) as well,” Fittler said.
“But we don’t make up the rules.”
Originally published as State of Origin II: Xavier Coates reveals impact of Mulitalo eligibility scandal on result
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