Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater has been blamed after reports emerged that he clashed with recalled player Selwyn Cobbo ahead of the series-deciding match at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.
Channel Nine reported that there was a disagreement between Slater and Cobbo during Queensland training, to which the Maroons coach reacted angrily.
Queensland, led by Slater, have won the last two State of Origin series. However, a heavy defeat in game two at the MCG set the stage for a crucial decision.
Nine’s Danny Weidler reported that the Maroons’ coaches are not on good terms with Cobbo.
The 22-year-old was surprisingly named on the bench for the season opener and played a key role after Reece Walsh suffered a head injury early in the game.
Despite his initial success, Cobbo was left out of the team for Game 2. The Queensland camp cited Cobbo’s mental exhaustion and a desire to return home as reasons for his omission.
Now that Cobbo is back in the team for the deciding match due to injuries in defense, the relationship between him and the coaching staff remains tense.
“The message from the Queensland camp is that Selwyn Cobbo is still not in agreement with the Queensland coaching staff. That will be denied by Billy Slater… but the post is good,” Weidler said 9News.
Weidler reported that Slater and Cobbo were in conflict with each other because of their different views on training.
Slater, pictured left with former assistant coach Cameron Smith, is feeling the pressure ahead of State of Origin III in Brisbane
It is reported that Slater has come into conflict with star player Selwyn Cobbo over his training style at the Maroons
Cobbo is known for ‘doing his own thing’, while Slater requires more discipline and an ‘extras over extras’ mentality.
“Maybe it’s a natural conflict and maybe it’s something that can be resolved. He (Cobbo) wasn’t there in Game 2, but do we know why? We’ve heard explanations, but do we really know why?” Weidler speculated.
Slater had previously indicated that Cobbo was struggling with injuries and was not in the right frame of mind to play, but he emphatically ruled out a possible fracture on Tuesday.
“The days of reporting the truth are over. I don’t know where that comes from, but it’s totally fake news,” he said.
“I’ve never seen Selwyn so happy actually and I’ve never seen him so engaged in his football. He’s had a great week and he’s ready to play.
“I had a chat with some of the coaches yesterday about how well his week has been going. He’s ready to play, so I don’t know where that news is coming from.
‘(My relationship with Selwyn) couldn’t be stronger. I couldn’t be clearer.
‘Me talking about this is totally irrelevant 24 hours before a game. Selwyn and I are fine.
“That’s totally fake news. The responsibility to report the truth is clearly not there. Throwing that kind of stuff out, that’s the first thing I hear.”
Queensland selector Darren Lockyer supported Cobbo’s decision, saying: “I congratulate Selwyn on his open and honest way of speaking.”
‘He’s having some ailments at the moment and I think that’s affecting his mental state.’
‘He was quite open and honest with Billy about whether he was capable of performing in that area and that there’s no place to hide in Origin.’
Critics have scrutinized Slater’s preparations for Origin III, suggesting he is distraught.
Noted former Blue Ben Elias claimed that Slater’s actions indicated signs of weakness.
“There’s no doubt about it, he does things he doesn’t normally do. He works very hard and is very comprehensive and an exceptional coach. But I see in these anecdotes that he has changed his way of preparing,” Elias said.
Slater has led Queensland to consecutive Origin series wins but has a big task against NSW
Former New South Wales star Benny Elia said the pressure was getting to be too much for Slater
Former Maroons prospect Corey Parker has defended Slater and backed him to be ready for the deciding game at Suncorp Stadium
Slaters’ decision to ban players from media interviews and shield some from reporters has also been questioned.
The exclusion of Gold Coast striker David Fifita from the series has further increased the attention.
Paul Gallen, Slater’s colleague at Channel Nine, said he had never seen Slater so upset, referring to his comments about ‘Queenslander’ after the Origin II loss.
Maroons legend Corey Parker defended Slater, saying: “He’s no different to me, he’s no different to Cameron Smith, he’s no different to any Queenslander after a loss. It hurts and it’s personal.”
‘The difference between him as a player and him now as a coach is that he has the ultimate responsibility.
“Billy will go through the entire 10-day preparation. He’s methodical in his preparation in ‘how could we have done better? Were there signs? Did we do something that we probably didn’t do in Game One?’
‘He would do some self-reflection on the other side of the park.’