Plan for Boyd at centre
QUEENSLAND are considering a radical plan to move Darius Boyd to centre as Maroons selector Darren Lockyer gave the strongest indication yet Billy Slater will be recalled for Origin II.
The Maroons team for Game Two is named tomorrow and Lockyer declared Storm champion Slater can no longer be ignored after his match-winning heroics against the Sharks on Thursday night.
But Slater’s impending recall is set to trigger a major reshuffle of the Maroons in a backline overhaul that could see Queensland fullback Boyd posted at centre for the first time in his Origin career.
Slater’s reinstatement at fullback, coupled with private concerns about Dane Gagai’s defensive capabilities at centre, has Queensland hierarchy pondering a Boyd-Will Chambers three-quarter alliance.
Boyd has played just 21 of his 260 first-grade games at centre, but he was graded as a three-quarter or fullback when signed by the Broncos as a teenager from Palm Beach Currumbin.
Rocked by their 28-4 loss in Game One, Maroons selectors Lockyer, Gene Miles and coach Kevin Walters will today convene for one of the most important selection meetings in Origin history.
Lockyer admits Boyd – the reigning Ron McAuliffe Medallist – would be disappointed to lose the Queensland No.1 jumper, but says the Maroons must find a way to accommodate both he and Slater.
“The way Billy Slater played on Thursday night, he will be hard to ignore,” Lockyer said.
“It’s a credit to Billy the way he has responded, he has put his best foot forward and is doing everything right to force his way back into the team.
“I’m sure there would be some disappointment from Darius (if he lost the fullback spot to Slater).
“If that’s what happens and we go with Billy at fullback, Darius will still be part of the team and it’s important he handles a possible switch in the right way.”
Lockyer confirmed Boyd, who has played 23 of his 27 Origin matches on the left wing for Queensland, is being considered in the left-centre slot to combat NSW rival Josh Dugan. “He has the skill set to handle centre or any position in the backline really,” he said.