Billy Slater in radical Queensland team shake up for State of Origin decider

Queensland coach Billy Slater has performed major surgery to his team for the State of Origin decider after late drama.

Kalyn Ponga is back for the Maroons. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Billy Slater has been forced to swing the axe with some huge gambles for the State of Origin series decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 17.

The Queensland coach has performed major surgery to the team that was blown off the park at the MCG in Game 2 with four new faces named in the 17-man team.

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The Maroons will go into the decider with two fresh wingers after hamstring injuries ruled out Xavier Coates and Murray Taulagi.

North Queensland Cowboys star Taulagi suffered his injury on Saturday night against Manly.

That news prompted a late move from Slater to bring back veteran centre Dane Gagai.

Gagai’s surprise selection means Selwyn Cobbo will line up on the wing.

Valentine Holmes, who has been under pressure to keep his spot in the team, will line up on the other wing after getting shifted from his position in the centres.

Slater is rolling the dice for the series decider and his biggest moves are:

— Snubbing Titans forward David Fifita

— The return of Kalyn Ponga, who will start on the bench

— Gagai returning to the Origin arena for the first time since 2022

— Dropping Dragons star Jaydn Su’A

Trent Loiero is 18th man, while Brendan Piakura and Reed Mahoney are also part of the extended squad.

Queensland team for Origin III

Billy Slater and Daly Cherry-Evans faced the press after the Game 2 loss. Photo: Channel 9.

1 Reece Walsh

2 Selwyn Cobbo

3 Dane Gagai

4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow

5 Valentine Holmes

6 Tom Dearden

7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c)

8 Reuben Cotter

9 Ben Hunt

10 Lindsay Collins

11 Kurt Capewell

12 Jeremiah Nanai

13 Pat Carrigan

Bench: 14 Harry Grant, 16 Felise Kaufusi, 15 Mo Fotuaika, 17 Kalyn Ponga

9.30am — Cam Smith gives approval to Kalyn Ponga gamble

Maroons legend Cam Smith has called the selection of Kalyn Ponga a “big one” after the Knights star was picked after just one game back from a long-term injury.

Ponga missed 12 weeks of football with a Lisfranc injury in his foot before he returned for the Knights on Sunday.

“That’s a big one. I know he played extremely well yesterday for the Knights against Canberra, but only one game in,” Smith said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think he’s had a fairly lengthy lay off with that Lisfranc injury of the foot. That’s a big one. I think it showed yesterday he’s fit and ready to go.

“In the last decider that Queensland were involved in, 2022, he was the best player on the field.”

9am — Rumours swirl over Slater snub

Billy Slater’s decision to snub Titans wrecking ball David Fifita has raised eyebrows.

Slater said after Fifita’s surprise omission before Origin Game 1 that the Gold Coast star had not met the same standards he had hit in previous years.

However, his omission in the face of Queensland’s Game 2 belting has surprised commentators.

Veteran Daily Telegraph reporter Phil Rothfield said on Monday morning he could not understand the decision to overlook Fifita again.

“I’m starting to think this is the best story in rugby league that hasn’t been told yet and there has got to be more to it,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast.

“Billy Slater ignoring him in all three games — I can understand Game One and Game Two — but now they’re on the back foot, now they’ve lost in Melbourne. I thought he needed to add another explosive edge to his football side.

“While Fifita doesn’t have the work rate of a Kurt Capewell, while he’s maybe not as strong, reliable, hard-working a player, he is able to add so much more to a football team than Capewell can, particularly in a desperation game like this when the series is on the line.

“You have a player who is probably better than any other forward in the game with his reputation for just those barnstorming charges. He’s a big, strong, powerful wrecking machine and there has to be more to it and I don’t know what it is. “

10pm - Late drama as Taulagi ruled out

Taulagi is out with injury. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Billy Slater was forced to change his plans after the severity of Taulagi’s hamstring strain was learned on Sunday.

In late drama, Gagai was recalled to play at right centre ahead of Holmes who is returning to his previous position on the wing.

Gagai showed he still has plenty of magic left in him when he put on a clinic against the Raiders on Sunday and scored two tries.

Slater was tight-lipped when asked about his selections on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show.

“I don’t have any headaches at the moment,” he said when asked about issues picking out-of-form Cowboys star Valentine Holmes in the centres.

He went on to discuss concerns surrounding hooker Harry Grant’s fitness while also admitting he has been keeping a close watch on AJ Brimson and Reed Mahoney as he finalises his plans.

Slater did his best to avoid discussing Ponga’s expected inclusion.

“The first thing I’m looking at for Kalyn is hopefully he’s got a big smile on his face,” he said.

“He’s missed a whole heap of footy. It was great to see Tom Trbojevic is back in the game. We want to see our best players playing the game.

“Hopefully, he’s fit and he’s playing this afternoon, He’s been a big part of the Queensland team for a number of years. He missed last year and was in great form at the start of the year.

“He’s just got to get back on the field and start playing footy.”

Originally published as Billy Slater in radical Queensland team shake up for State of Origin decider