MARK ‘SPUDD’ CARROLL: Billy Slater faces State of Origin sack if Queensland don’t level series in Perth

See you later, Billy Slater.

The headline writers can thank me another time, but that’s what I reckon they will go with on Thursday morning if Queensland can’t bounce back in Origin II and level the series in Perth.

If the Maroons go down, that will be four losses on the bounce and back-to-back series defeats.

Queensland then face the real threat of suffering a series clean sweep in Sydney.

I know Slater’s contract is not up until the end of 2026, but can you seriously see him surviving that long unless there’s a revival?

I can’t.

Queensland’s self-righteous pick-and-stick mantra has been exposed for the bullshit that’s it’s always been after skipper Daly Cherry-Evans was dumped for game two.

As I’ve written here before, DCE should never have been given the chance to add to his 25 Origins in the first place.

He should have stepped down before being axed, but Slater also deserves some of the blame for going with the oldest player in Origin history.

Having retained him as halfback and skipper, you’d think that fabled pick-and-stick policy would have at least assured Cherry-Evans the chance to put game one right.

Not in knee-jerk Billy’s eyes.

And while his captain was in the departure lounge, Ezra Mam was coming through arrivals.

I thought I was seeing things.

I know he’s only a squad member, but surely this bloke doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near a rep camp after what he put the game – and his motor accident victims – through late last year.

I think it’s a very ordinary look and would love Peter V’landys to bring in rep bans for players found guilty of serious off-field offences.

Mam served a nine-match ban from the NRL but just a few weeks later is swanning around in Origin camp like a rock star.

I propose a year’s ban from rep footy for any player found guilty of a serious offence.

Obviously, this won’t impact players below rep level, but it will make the stars of our game think twice about bringing the game into disrepute.

Being blocked from playing Origin and internationals would send a very strong message.

Anyway, Mam is in the Maroons squad while a real decent character – and player - in Beau Fermor is kicked to the kerb.

I’d love to know what the young Titans backrower did wrong in game one to be axed.

He was only out there for 15 bloody minutes!

But it is good to see Queensland’s educational programs are bearing fruit because they can now apparently all read.

They’ve picked up on my recent column imploring Slater to pick players with a bit of craziness in their eyes.

And, as I suggested, Exhibit A is that mad red head from Canberra, Corey Horsburgh.

He’s been added to the extended squad but is not expected to play.

Horsburgh is the sort of passionate lunatic the Maroons desperately need.

Slater is signing his own death warrant by leaving him out.