INJURY SCARE FOR SLATER
QUEENSLAND’S NO.1 GOES DOWN AT COAST TRAINING SESSION
QUEENSLAND’S Origin preparations have been thrown into further turmoil with Billy Slater racing the clock to prove his fitness, as Kevin Walters mulls over whether to push debutant Cameron Munster to fullback.
Slater limped from the field after rolling his right ankle during Queensland’s training session at Sanctuary Cove yesterday and was taken from the ground in a golf cart after being tended to by medicos.
While the sceptics derided the “injury crisis” that seems to hit every Queensland camp, there’s no doubt the 34-yearold fullback sent a scare through the team.
But he is expected to play on Wednesday night, avoiding another blow to a Maroons outfit already minus stars Johnathan Thurston and Darius Boyd.
Boyd played at fullback in the series opener and would be the natural replacement for Slater if fit.
Instead, Walters is likely to pitch Munster into the fullback position if Slater fails to recover.
Queensland have a wealth of options at No.1, with Munster and Cronulla fullback Valentine Holmes in their squad.
Holmes said he would not knock Walters back if asked to take on fullback duties but expects Slater to recover fully.
“The coach will give him up until kick-off to see if he’s right,” Holmes said.
“I’m sure he’ll be all right. He walked off so that’s a good sign and he’ll do all the recovery, ice it up, rest it.”
Holmes said he would “not be first pick” at fullback but would not turn Walters down if asked to play there.
“It would be anyone’s dream to play No.1 if you’re a fullback ... so it’s definitely something that I’d love to play in but (eventually),” he said.
“I don’t think he’d be calling upon me (if Slater is not fit).
“Because we’ve got Hunty (Ben Hunt) on the bench we’d probably just put him in the halves and Munny (Munster) at the back, then everyone still knows the plays.
“If he asked me I wouldn’t turn it down but (I’m) just being realistic here.”
Munster won a showdown with North Queensland Cowboys utility Michael Morgan to be named at five-eighth, largely because of his combination with Melbourne teammates Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.
That combination would remain if he was pushed to fullback, a position he occupied for almost two years when Slater was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Slater returned to the Origin arena for Game Two last month and added another dimension for the Maroons in attack and defence.
But with his future undecided and Origin III possibly his last, an injury would be a cruel blow.
Slater’s ankle was immediately strapped and he will be working around the clock to ensure he can play on Wednesday.
MAROONS legend Steve Renouf has slammed the Blues for last year’s Origin walkout and urged Queensland to use the disrespectful act as motivation for Wednesday’s decider.
Led by former captain Paul Gallen, NSW turned their backs on victorious Maroons skipper Cameron Smith during his post-match speech after last year’s dead rubber at ANZ Stadium.
Queensland wrapped up the series in two games and the Blues saved themselves from humiliation with a win in the dying stages of the final match.
Instead of listening to Smith, the Blues walked away as soon as he took the stage, later claiming there was a misunderstanding.
This year’s series is tied at one-all going into Game Three at Suncorp Stadium and Queensland will be without key players Johnathan Thurston, Darius Boyd, Matt Scott and Greg Inglis.
Renouf, an 11-Origin representative, said Queensland only had to look back to that incident to find extra motivation to beat the Blues.
“I thought it was poor. The players wouldn’t have forgotten it. It was very disrespectful,” he said.
“It’s typical of NSW. I’m very honest when I say this – they are terrible winners and terrible losers. They just can’t help themselves.”
Smith was seething in the moments after the walkout and Thurston later claimed “that typifies what their team is about”.
Maroons coach Kevin Walters was diplomatic when asked about the Blues’ walkout and whether it would fuel the Maroons.
“I don’t think it was on purpose,” Walters said.
“I don’t know those NSW guys very well but I don’t think they would do it on purpose.
“Cameron is a great captain and leader. We have been very fortunate to have him as part of our team.”