State of Origin 2018: Queensland’s slip-up over Billy Slater injury is more ammo for NSW
MAROONS coach Kevin Walters was desperate to keep NSW in the dark over Billy Slater’s injury — until The Daily Telegraph broke the story. Now the Blues can take full advantage.
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NSW coach Brad Fittler says it’s a huge advantage for the Blues that opposition coach Kevin Walters had been sprung lying about Billy Slater’s shock withdrawal from the Queensland team for Wednesday night’s State of Origin blockbuster at the MCG.
Walters had insisted his champion fullback would play until the Daily Telegraph broke the story that the Storm superstar had succumbed to a hamstring injury earlier in the day.
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“It makes a big difference for us,” Fittler said. “It would have been a bit of a shock if it hadn’t got out until game day.
“It definitely helps to know a couple of days early. We get a couple of days to digest it.”
The Maroons are expected to start Michael Morgan at fullback and bring boom Newcastle Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga onto the bench for his State of Origin debut.
There are other options including playing Greg Inglis at fullback and Morgan in the centres.
Fittler says it means major adjustments to the Blues’ defence.
“Billy scares you,” Fittler said. “You can detect most things with players but not Billy.
“There’s not many players you can say that about.
“But Morgan gives them another kicker. That changes things. He plays both sides and he’s especially good on the right. That puts a bit of onus on our left-side defence.
“We all saw how good he was in last year’s finals series.”
Walters admits he was desperately trying to keep NSW in the dark.
“We were trying to hold back from announcing it publicly but the media is too good,” he said.
“Billy was fine until [Sunday]. He completed training but then woke up a bit sore [on Monday] and said he didn’t want to risk it in an Origin game.
“Milford and Kalyn will be coming to camp. We’ll make a final decision [Tuesday] but I haven’t brought Ponga here to fill up the water bottles, he’s definitely being considered to make his debut.”
The Daily Telegraph understands the Maroons had attempted to bring veteran Broncos fullback Darius Boyd into camp as a possible option. But he is on holiday in New Zealand and refused to come home.
Walters insists the Slater development does not leave the Maroons in crisis.
“I always knew in the back of my mind this could happen,” he said.
“Billy hasn’t been 100 per cent during the week and that’s why I brought Milford into camp in the event someone wasn’t right.
“I will sit down with senior guys like Billy and Greg and get their thoughts on who we play at fullback.”
Slater said he had no alternative but to pull out.
“I’ve made the mistake of playing while injured in the past and I certainly regret that,” he said. “I wanted to make the right decision this time.
“The beauty is we have a few options, I’m not too sure which way Kevvie and the selectors will do. Whichever way we go we will have a great fullback and a good side.
“Kalyn has been great this year. There are certainly plenty of options and whichever way we go we will have 17 fit players out there.”