‘Hardest call to make’: Billy Slater’s Origin admission
Billy Slater says he had to make some tough phone calls with players about Queensland Origin team omissions, but none more difficult than with Maroons stalwart Dane Gagai.
Newcastle centre Gagai was dropped with Dolphins flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow preferred in the team to play NSW in the Origin series opener on May 31 in Adelaide.
The 32-year-old Gagai has played 22 consecutive Origin games from his debut in 2015 through to the decider last year.
And he always seemed to grow an extra arm and leg for the Maroons on his way to scoring 12 tries and playing a key role in five series wins.
“That was the hardest phone call I had to make,” Maroons coach Slater said.
“We all know what Dane Gagai brings to the footy team. Hamiso has been playing great too.
“Sometimes we can focus on who is not there. Now it is time to focus on who is there and building a game plan and having our players at their best for Wednesday week.”
“I spoke to Kalyn last night and I had to make some really tough phone calls last night,” Slater said.
“Those four guys are Queenslanders through and through. By the end of the conversations they were all really supportive of this team.
“They all want success for this team. They are great men and great Queenslanders.”
Slater said there were other “good conversations”, including the ones to debutant Walsh, 20, and 21-year-old Tabuai-Fidow.
“It was a little bit emotional. He is a good young man Reece,” Slater said.
“I believe there are two things you need to play State of Origin for Queensland.
“The first thing is you need to be capable and the second thing is you need an opportunity.
“To be fair I think Reece got his opportunity before he got that capability in his game and didn’t get to play (in Game Two of 2021) because of his hamstring.
“Now he is a much more capable player and a much more rounded player and he is only going to get better.”
“It was a great phone call. He gets to play his first game for Queensland.”
The call to Tabuai-Fidow let him know he would play his second Origin match for the Maroons.
“He puts himself in the contest. I love his involvement,” Slater said.
“”He has some great strengths in his game and we want to bring them out.”
Tevita Pangai Junior is set to make his State of Origin debut for NSW. Photo: AAP
Jake Trbojevic out, Pangai among NSW Origin rookies
Tevita Pangai will start on debut for NSW in State of Origin I after Jake Trbojevic’s problematic calf prompted the Manly star to rule himself out of the series opener.
Trbojevic looked set to be picked for the May 31 match in Adelaide before reporting calf soreness in his NRL comeback game on Sunday afternoon.
That prompted a last-minute change of plan for NSW coach Brad Fittler, calling Pangai into the squad as one of three debutants alongside Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes and Canberra’s Hudson Young.
Pangai will start in the front row alongside Payne Haas, with Junior Paulo to come off the bench.
Fellow debutant Young will also start in the second row on one edge with the recalled Tyson Frizell on the other, bumping Liam Martin and Cameron Murray back to the bench.
“Jake was pencilled in,” Blues assistant coach Greg Alexander told SEN.
“As you know you can’t pen anything in until everything’s over and we got word that Jake had re-injured that calf, which was disappointing after coming back and making his return against Canberra.”
Fittler has stuck with Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary in the halves, and made the bold call to leave Damien Cook out of the squad for the first time in his tenure.
Apisai Koroisau will act as the sole hooker, leaving room for Hynes to debut off the bench and playing some dummy-half if required.
Cook was expected to win the No.9 jersey and add to his 15 consecutive Origin games before Koroisau’s Saturday night performance for Wests Tigers got him over the line.
Koroisau’s combination with Luai, Cleary and lock Isaah Yeo from his three years at Penrith is also viewed as a key advantage for the Blues.
“Damien Cook has played good,” Alexander said. “We didn’t think the two hooker situation worked for us and we’ve tried it a number of times.
“We just thought we’d go with one hooker and Api gets the nod.
“Api’s ability out of dummy half to not just play off the back of a quick play-the-ball, probably got him the nod. The fact that Api can play off the back foot.”
Tom Trbojevic and Josh Addo-Carr were selected at centre and wing respectively, with Campbell Graham initially picked as 18th man before withdrawing with a sternum injury.
Penrith centre Stephen Crichton will take his spot as the concussion substitute.
There had been concerns over both Trbojevic and Addo-Carr’s fitness, but Trbojevic blew those away with a hat-trick of tries against Canberra on Sunday.
Addo-Carr also came through his return game for Canterbury unscathed, five weeks after syndesmosis surgery.
Sydney Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton and Bulldogs centre-turned-half Matt Burton are among players to miss out after playing Game III last year.
NSW
James Tedesco, Brian To’o, Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic, Josh Addo-Carr, Jarome Luai, Nathan Cleary, Tevita Pangai, Apisai Koroisau, Payne Haas, Tyson Frizell, Hudson Young, Isaah Yeo. Bench: Junior Paulo, Cameron Murray, Liam Martin, Nicho Hynes. 18th man: Stephen Crichton
Queensland
Reece Walsh, Selwyn Cobbo, Valentine Holmes, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Murray Taulagi, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans, Tom Flegler, Ben Hunt, Lindsay Collins, Tom Gilbert, David Fifita, Pat Carrigan. Interchange: Harry Grant, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Reuben Cotter, Jai Arrow. Reserves: Tom Dearden, Christian Welch
– AAP
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