Slater silent about line-up

SYDNEY: Queensland is playing mind games with team selection on the eve of the State of Origin series decider tonight.
Rookie coach Billy Slater revealed to media yesterday that Tom Dearden will wear the No.6 jumper in his Maroons debut, but wouldn’t say whether the 21-year-old will start the game or not.
Dearden was injected into the team to replace star five-eighth Cameron Munster, who contracted the Coronavirus in camp last week.
And while the Cowboys playmaker will wear Munster’s jersey, he may yet start on the bench to allow veteran Origin utility Ben Hunt to start in the halves.

The alternative option is Dearden plays five-eighth, and Queensland otherwise sticks with the Hunt-Harry Grant one-two punch at hooker.
“Tom Dearden will wear the No.6, we’ll just work out whether he starts the game or comes off the bench,” Slater said.
“We’re pretty clear. I know my team. It’s Queensland’s team.”
Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans was also asked who his halves partner will be, and said while he knew the answer, he would not reveal it publicly.
The Maroons technically are not required to unveil their exact line-up until one hour before kick-off tonight.
The Blues will make a switch of their own before kick-off, with Junior Paulo set to start in the front row and debutant prop Jacob Saifiti on the bench to start the decider.
Meanwhile, New South Wales coach Brad Fittler issued a word of warning as he seeks to upset the Maroons’ dominance at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
“I’m aware that they’ve got some really classy players,” Fittler said.
“Not only that but I’m assuming they still have more experience than us.
“It’s not as though we’re playing a bunch of rookies.
“They have a lot of players who can create points and opportunity so I’m totally aware of what they are capable of.
“We’ve been through it already.
“We’ve been through winning as underdogs
“I’m confident that we can play well and do what we’ve trained.”
— 9 News

Queensland upbeat about Papalii return

SYDNEY: Queensland “have a plan” for Josh Papalii to silence the doubters that they say will ensure he is back to his best for the State of Origin decider tonight.
The 22-game Origin veteran has been quiet across the series, playing about 15 minutes before returning for the final five in both games.
Bench forward Pat Carrigan has been one of the Maroons’ stars in a longer stretch either side of halftime.
Carrigan was the only Queensland big man to notch more than 100m during the 12-44 loss in Perth, where the Blues’ forwards dominated.
There is chatter the pair could swap roles in tonight’s game at Suncorp Stadium as the Maroons look to reignite the leader of the pack.
“With Paps, we’ve got a plan with what he’s going to do,” centre Valentine Holmes said.
“I won’t say (what it is), but I’m expecting him to play well.”
Captain Daly Cherry-Evans acknowledged the external pressure that had built on Papalii this series.
“We’re excited about where he is mentality is this week … when people start to talk about you, the only way you’ve got to respond is your football,” said Cherry-Evans.
— Yahoo Sports

Cronk gives insight into Queensland’s key personnel

SYDNEY: Rugby league legend Cooper Cronk believes a trio of Maroons players must deliver career-best performances for Queensland to win the 2022 State of Origin series.
Cameron Munster, who was the best player on the field in game one, has been ruled out due to the Coronavirus — and now Cronk believes it is time for Ben Hunt, Kalyn Ponga and Daly Cherry-Evans to stand up in the series decider.
“That is what happens when star players are out, you need 14 or 15 guys to play their role and hold down the fort,” Cronk said.
“And then your other stars stand up, Ponga is one of them.
“If you look at Queensland’s team there is probably three guys that need to have a career-best game — Ben Hunt, Kalyn Ponga and Cherry-Evans.
“Cherry-Evans is a rock solid player and he has had a lot of opportunities at Origin level, but has never really done it and grabbed the headlines.”
Cronk, who played 22 games for Queensland, highlighted Ben Hunt as the key man out of the three players nominated.
Hunt’s playmaking output will have to increase in Munster’s absence, and Cronk believes having the Dragons playmaker on the field alongside other spine players will be crucial.
“It doesn’t really matter who starts, at some stage you have to get Grant, Hunt, Cherry-Evans, Ponga and Dearden on the field at once,” Cronk said.
“You go back to game two, Ben Hunt actually played 80 minutes, Harry Grant came on and off and Hunt was the one who interchanged between No.13 and back to No.9.
“I think he is the key, I really do, I think Ben Hunt is playing career-best footy and he showed in game three last year when he started at dummy-half, I think he might be the one that has to play 10 out of 10 to win it.”
Former player and commentator Matthew Johns suggested that if Cherry-Evans can lead the Maroons to victory he could etch himself into Queensland’s history books as one the best.
— Fox Sports

Maroons get boost from Munster

BRISBANE: Even from afar, Cameron Munster is still putting his stamp on the Maroons’ preparations for the State of Origin decider.
The Storm five-eighth has been isolated in a hotel room, but Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow said that Munster has not gone quietly into the night.
“He’s been sending us daily videos that he calls ‘Munster Madness’ — so he’s obviously in as good of spirits as he can be,” Arrow said yesterday.
“He’s a great character to have around the group.
“He’s got his Queensland jersey and hat on in the room, just sending selfie videos of him screaming ‘Queenslander!’ and giving us daily updates on whatever he’s up to.
Both Munster and winger Murray Taulagi tested positive for the Coronavirus last week, ruling them out of tonight’s game — Corey Oates and Tom Dearden were called up in their place.
The Maroons squad are taking two rapid antigen tests daily, one when they wake up and one before dinner — and while they aren’t in a ‘bubble’, they’ve been told to remain cautious.
“It’s obviously something that we just have to put up with,” Arrow said.
“But we’re very grateful that we get to play in an Origin decider, so it’s not too hard.” — 9 News

Coach refuses to lean on history for decider

SYDNEY: Eight wins from the last nine deciders paints the picture of Queensland’s State of Origin dominance with the series on the line.
But Maroons coach Billy Slater does not want to hear about it ahead of tonight’s final instalment with New South Wales (NSW) at Suncorp Stadium.
The rookie coach and former champion fullback says that record only exists because Queenslanders of the past earned it in the “biggest occasion of their career”.
“The atmosphere is unrivalled here, especially if you’re wearing a Maroon jersey,” Slater said yesterday ahead of his first coaching experience at the venue he once dominated at fullback.
“But they’ve got to go out there and do that justice.
“It’ll be a very unique environment these players will remember for the rest of their lives. But you’ve got to play well, you’ve got to earn that.”
Queensland have a 14-5 record with two draws across all game three deciders and have won nine of the last 12 game threes, whether alive or not.
They have scored 20 points or less in a record 14-straight Origins but have held NSW to that same mark in their past six game three contests in Queensland.
While NSW now boast a 142-28 points edge in game two results over the past four games, Queensland have beaten the Blues by a combined 164-64 across the past six game threes.
With the scratching of Cameron Munster and Murray Taulagi due to the Coronavirus, it shapes as another backs-to-the-wall triumph if Queensland find a way.
“They know it’s an opportunity to etch another chapter in Origin history but it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past,” Slater cautioned.
“Our focus is on playing our best footy, not where it sits.
“We can look back at history as much as we want, but it’s not going to determine how we play,” he said yesterday.
—AAP