NSW legends make Billy Slater a laughing stock after Origin loss

Billy Slater has been turned into a punching bag for NSW after a post-game blooper that has left some fans chortling.

Daly Cherry-Evans and Billy Slater.

NSW legends have made a mockery of Billy Slater after Queensland’s capitulation in State of Origin Game 2 on Wednesday night.

The Maroons coach has come under fire after a blooper in his post-match press conference that has got fans south of the Tweed river cackling.

Slater was in no mood to talk about potential changes to his side that lost 38-18 at the MCG.

When asked directly about possible selection changes, he replied: “I haven’t even thought of that. We’re still Queenslanders.”

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When asked to elaborate further on the latter statement, Slater had a cold response.

“Well, we’re from Queensland,” he told the reporter.

Pressed again, Slater remained cryptic, adding: “I said I haven’t thought of that and we’re still Queenslanders, so that’s it ... I honestly haven’t thought about it.”

His use of the term “Queenslanders” left some NRL commentators laughing, including NSW Origin legend Laurie Daley.

Greg Alexander, Billy Slater and Laurie Daley.

The Canberra Raiders icon was happy to have a light-hearted laugh at Slater’s expense on his Sky Sports Radio breakfast show, cheekily saying “Queensland just don’t get Origin”.

“NSW had to win last night. I thought they were more desperate,” he said.

“I don’t know if you can tell from a look, but when they went out there, they meant business right from the get go and they did NSW proud.

“Everyone is so happy with that performance and Queensland just don’t get Origin. They just don’t understand Origin like NSW do. They’ll make changes now.”

He earlier said: “That was a flogging last night. We’ll see what Billy comes up with.

“You can talk about how we improved in the second half and say, ‘We got our footy on’.”

Co-host Michael Clarke then chimed in to say: “If I hear that one more time I’m going to throw my remote at Billy.

“We just got to get our footy on? I don’t know what that means.”

It was not the first time Slater’s mannerisms have irked fans after he also said David Fifita took his Game 1 omission “like a true Queenslander” earlier this month.

Blues Origin great Greg Alexander also noted Slater’s cryptic phrase.

“Billy hasn’t experienced this,” Brandy said on SEN Breakfast.

Billy Slater looked ready to kill. Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

“It was 34-0 at half time and he says, ‘We’re still Queenslanders?’

“What does that mean.”

He went on to say: “He didn’t want to answer and then he was trying to brush it off, but saying, ‘We’re still Queenslanders’ wasn’t quite doing it for (journalist) Brad Walter.”

Co-host Andrew Voss said: “That was Billy struggling and then digging a hole.”

Despite the first half bloodbath, Slater actually found some positives to take into the decider on July 17.

“I thought the second half was quite good,” he said.

“I thought our actions, the way we started the second half, we went after our footy a bit more. We were patient. We weren’t looking for shortcuts to draw back the scoreline.

“It’s a real positive that the group pulled themselves together at halftime after the fuel tank that they used and played footy in the second half. We don’t want to be in that position.”

Queensland were in a similar position in 2022. After defeating NSW in game one, they were humiliated 44-12 in game two at Optus Stadium, Perth. They then won the decider 22-12 on home soil at Suncorp Stadium.

— with foxsports.com.au

Originally published as NSW legends make Billy Slater a laughing stock after Origin loss