Queensland coach Billy Slater 'rattled' by Blues' Origin II dominance: Paul Gallen

NSW great Paul Gallen says he has never seen Billy Slater as “rattled” as he was after Queensland’s game two loss as he warned the Maroons coach against trying to win a “dogfight” against the Blues pack.

Slater’s Queensland side were steamrollered by the NSW forwards in Melbourne, losing 38-18 to send the series to a decider at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.

The Maroons coach has enjoyed a charmed run, winning his first two series in charge and has shown an ability to handle the pressures of the media and team selection.

But Slater’s comments in the immediate aftermath of the MCG loss hinted that the Queensland coach was feeling the heat for the first time.

When asked what changes he would make for game three, Slater cryptically replied: “Well, we’re from Queensland ... We’re still Queenslanders.”

Slater and Gallen were long-time adversaries but were Australia teammates and now work together on the Nine Network.

Gallen said it was easy to see how the Maroons’ performance had floored Slater.

“Billy is the most well-prepared person I’ve seen in my life, he leaves no stone unturned,” Gallen said.

“I just think what happened in game two was off the cuff.

“He had just finished the game, they’d been spanked and he would’ve had to go talk to his team and he would have been all over the place.

“It was the first time I’d seen him rattled and Billy would probably admit that.”

Gallen is doubtful if Slater’s behaviour would have had any impact on the Queensland players. The former NSW captain said the Maroons would more likely be concerned with how easily they were dominated by the Blues.

“Only three weeks ago the Blues manhandled Queensland, I think that will be in the back of their minds,” Gallen said.

“If the game starts and they get manhandled then they’ll be thinking, ‘Here we go again’.

“The Blues have a mental edge at the moment and I think if they dominate the middle of the field, Queensland will be looking for a big fella to lead them out of trouble.

“I don’t see that (person) at the moment to dominate like Payne Haas or Angus Crichton.

“If it’s a dogfight, a hard battle I think the Blues get the job done.”

Mitchell Barnett, meanwhile, will become the Blues eighth debutant of this series, admitting even he is surprised to be called into a winning side.

But the 30-year-old has vowed nothing will intimidate him in the next week. It was only last year Barnett feared his time in the NRL was up, as he battled with a second neck injury that limited his ability to drive and play with his son.

After first undergoing neck surgery after a tackle left him in agony in 2020, the same pain again returned last March when he was the victim of a crusher.

“I was in a lot of pain,” Barnett said.

“Some of the advice I was getting from surgeons was probably pushing me that way (towards retirement).

“I wrestled with it, because I was training every day and it just wasn’t getting better.

“It was impacting my life off the field with the pain ... Even just turning left and right driving a car.”