X-factor call 'bullied' Maroons must make to save series
Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater will face calls for David Fifita to return to a Maroons jersey after his side's back-row was bullied by a dominant NSW.
The master mentor was cagey post-game when asked whether he'd make changes, repeating "we're Queenslanders" in typical Slater fashion.
Pressed on what he meant, the coach failed to elaborate while stating he hadn't thought about any changes.
However, the demand for changes are starting to come, despite the Maroons' famous pick and stick mentality.
Daly Cherry-Evans and the Maroons react after another Blues try.
"It hasn't happened yet, has it? Billy hasn't experienced this, 34-0 at half-time," Blues legend Greg Alexander said on SEN.
Alexander also questioned Slater's responses post-game, asking "what does that mean?" when discussing his "we're Queenslanders" response.
After starring in Origin I, Selwyn Cobbo didn't feature for Queensland in game two, with injury and mental health concerns.
Slater opted to not have any outside back cover on the bench, with Kurt Capewell the utility on the bench.
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Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow suffered an AC joint injury in the first half and left the field before returning after the break and scoring a try. Whether he plays Origin III remains to be seen.
While Cobbo is an option to return, the big potential change is Fifita.
Prior to game one, Slater produced a selection shock when he left out the Titans second-rower, explaining Fifita had missed out due to not hitting the standards of 2023.
"I've got no doubt that Dave will get back to the footy he played last year, and I'm sure he will wear a Maroons jersey in the future again," he said.
"Dave created a really high standard for his footy last year. He just hasn't quite got to that standard this year."
Now Slater will have to consider the big forward, particularly considering Felise Kaufusi only played 10 minutes off the bench.
Fifita was massive for the Titans in their 66-6 mauling of the Warriors last weekend, running for the most metres of any forward.
And while statistics never tell the full story, the second-rower is the only forward to feature in the top 10 for tackle breaks. He has 73 and sits seventh on the list.
What Fifita is often maligned for, though, is his defence.
"He doesn't value it - he likes to play when they've got the ball, but he's not so keen on it when they haven't got the ball," league icon Phil Gould said on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus podcast in May.
"He's not what I would call a work ethic player, he is a powerful ball-runner. It's like under 7s stuff."
Despite Gould's comments around effort, Fifita's stats work in his favour. He's made 262 tackles this season at 93.6 per cent efficiency.
Former Maroon Scott Sattler believes it's time to bring in the Titans star.
"We just got bullied, absolutely bullied for 60 minutes of that game," he said on SEN.
"I have never seen Queensland bullied and intimidated as much as we were that first half.
"No excuses, we came out of the blocks OK but just sheer size dominated us. Angus Crichton just bullied everybody, Val Holmes got rag-dolled all night and Reece Walsh was like a deer in headlights at times.
"We are lacking that real size, aggression and punch without Tom Flegler and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui so I'm going to be one of many that throw it up there, and Billy knows better than all of us, but I think the size, speed and potential x-factor of David Fifita has got to be taken into consideration for game three.
"... There is a lot that needs to be discussed around the selection table, not so much if there are any changes but I think the bench really needs to be looked at in some way, maybe one or two there ... the big concern for Billy is how we got bullied and couldn't match the intensity."