Slater in doubt with ankle injury

INJURY threatens to end the Origin career of another Queensland great after veteran fullback Billy Slater rolled his ankle at training yesterday before Wednesday’s decider in Brisbane.

But Maroons winger Valentine Holmes backed the 34-year-old to run out for what may be his Origin swan song, avoiding a backline reshuffle that could pitch debutant Ben Hunt into five-eighth.

Veteran five-eighth Johnathan Thurston will receive a pre-match tribute at Suncorp Stadium after a season-ending shoulder injury suffered in game two finished his 37-game Origin career.

But it didn’t stop Thurston from kicking the matchwinning sideline conversion to seal Queensland’s come-frombehind 18-16 Origin II victory in Sydney on June 21.

Off-contract Slater, who has played 28 Origins since 2004, is yet to decide whether he will play in 2018.

Holmes was confident Slater had not played his last game for Queensland despite sending a scare through its Gold Coast camp yesterday.

Queensland said Slater hurt his ankle during a drill with minutes left in its main session.

“The coach will give him until kick-off to see if he is all right,” Holmes said.

“I am sure he will be all right. He’s walked off [after the incident], so that’s a good sign.”

Holmes believed in a worse-case scenario Slater’s omission would create a reshuffle that would move Melbourne Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster to fullback and shift fellow debutant Hunt from the bench to No.6.