OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
- 2,179
- 899
The QLD selectors also thought Myles, Thaiday and O'niell were the best options too. Maybe the selectors were wrong.
VOTE Darius Boyd vs Billy Slater
- Thread starter Big Pete
- Start date
The QLD selectors also thought Myles, Thaiday and O'niell were the best options too. Maybe the selectors were wrong.
- Mar 4, 2008
- 34,779
- 41,481
Yeah, but unlike Myles, Infill and Thaiday ... Boyd did nothing wrong to lose his position.
Broncs_Fan
NRL Player
- Jun 5, 2015
- 2,603
- 1,279
Slater is a bigger threat at breaking the line on kick return. I'm happy for Slater to be back tbh.
OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
- 2,179
- 899
True, but I also don't think he did anything spectacular to keep it either.
I feel a bit sorry for Boyd though. Only a great game and a QLD win was going to put the Slater-Boyd argument to bed. With a QLD loss, it seemed inevtiable that Slater would be back (assuming he is).
Broncs_Fan
NRL Player
- Jun 5, 2015
- 2,603
- 1,279
Walters still isn't being totally ruthless though. Oates is a better option than Boyd on the wing imo. Especially for those hard carries out of Qld's own end. But he did not want to drop him completely after bringing back Slater it seems.
Boyd should be fullback or not in the team I think.
Boyd should be fullback or not in the team I think.
- Mar 4, 2008
- 34,779
- 41,481
you realise Boyd has the second most tries in state of origin history ... the majority (if not all) were scored on the wing
- Mar 4, 2008
- 34,779
- 41,481
here's a question what if QLD lose game 2 and Slater is not the magician everyone thinks he will be?
OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
- 2,179
- 899
How many do you think any other player would not have scored?
OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
- 2,179
- 899
Don't get me wrong. I don't think Slater being in the team automatically means QLD wins. I don't think it changes the result in game 1 at all. The QLD backline didn't lose that game. I do however think Slater offers more at FB than Boyd does.
But in saying that, I do find it very un-QLD like what has happened. With all this talk of loyalty, I think Slater deserved the loyalty to be extended to him in game 1. If Slater doesn't get injured in 2015 and again in 2016, I doubt Boyd is the FB today. But QLD chose to stick with Boyd, which while I don't fully agree with, I can understand and accept it. But if the selectors now turn around and select Slater again, it seems like they are now being disloyal to Boyd a little.
- Feb 28, 2016
- 11,489
- 8,361
Big Pete
International Captain
- Mar 12, 2008
- 32,140
- 25,819
- Thread starter
- #101
The Boyd v Slater argument was weird, at least from the loyalty perspective.
Who do you go for?
The guy who is arguably the greatest fullback ever to come out of the state but hadn't really made an impact at this level since 2013?
Or one of your greatest try scorers who happened to be the best player from the last series?
In hindsight it's easy to say Slater because the team didn't win, but shoe on the other foot we're probably saying the other thing.
Regardless, Billy has his spot back, it's a wonderful achievement and I'm hoping we see his best in the coming days.
Who do you go for?
The guy who is arguably the greatest fullback ever to come out of the state but hadn't really made an impact at this level since 2013?
Or one of your greatest try scorers who happened to be the best player from the last series?
In hindsight it's easy to say Slater because the team didn't win, but shoe on the other foot we're probably saying the other thing.
Regardless, Billy has his spot back, it's a wonderful achievement and I'm hoping we see his best in the coming days.
Horseheadsup
NRL Player
- Mar 21, 2016
- 2,676
- 1,371
Guess their going with the so called big 3, Slater, Cronk, and Smith.
OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
- 2,179
- 899
It's easy. You put the greatest fullback at fullback, and the greatest origin try scoring winger on the wing :D
Big Pete
International Captain
- Mar 12, 2008
- 32,140
- 25,819
- Thread starter
- #104
Like I said, it's easy to say now in hindsight, but Billy hadn't lived up to that reputation in a long long time and Boyd was not only great for Queensland, he was great for Australia too.
If Billy was to play, the only room for Darius was in the centres.
If Billy was to play, the only room for Darius was in the centres.
OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
- 2,179
- 899
Only because he'd been injured for so long imo. Given some of the other nuffies in the QLD team that have been riding on past glory over the past couple of years, I would have thought Slater deserved a bit of it as well.
I just think the QLD team is stronger with them both in it. I don't see why they both couldn't have been in game 1. Even if QLD had won in game 1, I'd still think the team is better for having Boyd and Slater in it.
Big Pete
International Captain
- Mar 12, 2008
- 32,140
- 25,819
- Thread starter
- #106
Even before his long lay-offs OXY, Slater looked like a spent force in Origin. When he went down in Origin II 2015, the Maroons looked drastically better with two different fullbacks in his stead.
I can understand wanting Slater in the team for what he offers as a player, but can you see why the loyalty argument is odd?
I can understand wanting Slater in the team for what he offers as a player, but can you see why the loyalty argument is odd?
- Mar 5, 2008
- 54,668
- 34,989
You realise how old he is yeah? He shouldn't be there, we should be moving on from the old guard, not embracing it.
- Oct 28, 2013
- 12,317
- 13,100
The counter argument to that is Slater's club form is on another planet compared to what it was in 14/15 so there's no reason it would carry through to the origin arena.
I would still rather the back 3 from Origin one and finding a centre from somewhere.
I would still rather the back 3 from Origin one and finding a centre from somewhere.
