Billy Slater Books Queensland State of Origin Spot
Story by The Sydney Morning Herald.
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BILLY SLATER Queensland’s No 1? If he is, Kevin Walters should eat his hat. Because for all the tears and hand-wringing north of the border over a man who some argue is the best fullback to have played the game, he’s not quite Queensland’s real No 1. That’s Cameron Smith.
But how can they possibly deny Slater the chance to wear the No.1 now? Dropped balls, shoddy passes, half gaps, a twisted leg … and then bang. When it mattered most with the game on the line. A deft pass to set up the matchwinner. And a second coming in Queensland’s maroon.
So while Slater might have already been fitted to return to the jersey he once made his own for State of Origin II, Smith still is the man NSW fear most as they stand on the cusp of blowing up Queensland’s creaky Origin dynasty.
The Australian and Queensland captain didn’t just slip into the Slater-Valentine Holmes spotlight in the grand final replay, he unceremoniously shoved them out of it for large parts and racked up 51 tackles before the Storm toppled nemesis Cronulla in another cliffhanger.
The Cooper Cronk-less Melbourne won 18-13 in a spiteful clash on Thursday night, Slater gifting Felise Kaufusi the sealer with six minutes left after Smith had put on the Storm’s first two tries
And provided a little reminder to NSW’s Sharks quartet they shouldn’t just fear the cavalry coming at ANZ Stadium, but rather who’s been there along.