Billy Slater bites back in tense exchange with reporter

The Queensland coach refused to answer one question despite being asked multiple times in his post-match press conference.

Billy Slater at his post match press conference.

Billy Slater has let the entire rugby league universe know exactly how he feels about Joseph Sua’ali’i’s hit on Reece Walsh without saying a word.

The Queensland coach expertly contained his emotion when asked mid-match about the brutal charge which all but ended Origin I as a contest – and the nights of both players.

“You probably don’t want to know that,” Slater said, when asked by Channel 9 for his thoughts on the incident that will Sua’ali’i suspended for four or five weeks.

If Slater thought that would be the end of it he was wrong as one reporter followed up during Queensland’s post-match press conference.

But again he refused to open up. “I’ll keep my feelings about that (tackle) to myself,” Slater said.

He was then asked if he thought NSW had specifically targeted the Broncos star.

“I have no idea but I’ll keep my feelings about that to myself,” he replied.

The reporter tried one more time, asking the Origin great if he felt Sua’ali’i deserved to be sent off.

Clearly frustrated, Slater fired back: “Did you?”

The 38-10 thrashing was another victory lap for the Queensland coach who has been almost flawless since taking over from Paul Green.

Serious questions were asked about Slater’s selection of Selwyn Cobbo on the Queensland bench in the lead-up to Wednesday night – and every critic was forced into an embarrassing backflip as it proved a masterstroke.

“We prepared for the unexpected – and the unexpected happened,” Slater said post-match.

Walsh’s concussion forced Slater to reshuffle his backline with Cobbo coming off the bench and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow sent to fullback.

But the Maroons were hardly caught on the hop.

Tabuai-Fidow explained he’d trained at fullback in case of any potential injuries.

“Yeah I did a couple of reps at fullback during the week. In Origin anything can happen. Lucky we trained for it,” he said.

Joseph Sua'ali'i wipes out Reece Walsh. Picture: NRL Photos / Brett Costello

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow flourished after Walsh went down. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

In another instinctual but genius move, Slater vacated his coaches box after the Walsh incident and headed to the touchline to speak with his young flyer.

“When The Hammer got thrown back to fullback I just felt I could help him with a few things, just to have a face-to-face conversation,” he said in his post-match press conference.

“That’s one thing I felt was beneficial to the team and The Hammer.

“I just felt it at the time and I did it.”

It worked. The stand in fullback scored a hat-trick and made an incredible try-saving tackle on Blues forward Spencer Leniu.

“He did a great job under the high ball (and) positionally,” Slater continued. “Not just scoring three tries, but he saved just as many.

“He did a wonderful job to adjust to a different position. I thought he was super.”

Billy Slater at his post match press conference.

It left a host of people singing Slater’s praises.

“Billy, he’s a genius, mate,” Fatty Vautin said. “Early in the week, someone asked me, ‘what about Queensland?’ I said, ‘look, it’s great. I’m old school. I think forwards win Origins. I would have had another big forward on the bench instead of Selwyn’.

“Billy Slater just shows he’s a million times smarter than I am by selecting Selwyn Cobbo. I was not aware that Selwyn played lock all through his juniors so he’s big enough to play in the middle of the field.

“The perfect situation tonight, Reece gets done, Selwyn’s on, he can play anywhere -centre, wing, fullback. The hammer goes back to fullback. Billy, too good.”

“In Billy (Slater) we trust,” added Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans. “He put Selwyn on the bench and it was a masterstroke. Not that we wanted it, but we trained for it.”

Despite a resounding scoreline, Slater was adamant his side were far from their best.

“We’ve got so much to go with our footy. I thought we were so far off with our footy tonight. But that’s to come.

“I don’t think we played the way we prepared. There is much more footy for this team. That’s exciting.”

– with foxsports.com.au