The Hardest Call: Inside Maroons Camp with Billy Slater

Welcome to the Billy Slater Podcast.

All thanks to tab We are on location this week at Camp Morone on the Sunshine Coast as Billy Slater's Morones prepare for State of Origin two next week across the country over in Earth.

Big week ahead, How are you, Billy.

I'm good, Thanks Salty, thanks for bringing the podcast back into camp.

Yeah, on the road, which is fantastic. Yeah, so we're looking forward to a big week ahead, no doubt. You've got the squad named just you made a point last week about change, and it's not just about personnel, it's about approach.

It's about what players do differently. So what's your feeling.

Overall before we talk about the squad overall heading into camp this week?

Yeah, yeah, probably a little bit of that has actually been really honest about Game one and.

How we played and some of the actions within the game.

So, you know, we'll do that over the next couple of days and make sure that we're really clear about some of the things that we do need to change within our game, and then and then we'll go after it over the next nine days.

So yeah, that's the process from here on in.

As far as the whole week is concerned. One of the features of the week is a fan day GIMPI found when you guys were playing and talk to you and your teammates a lot. It was just a great way, particularly even after a loss, just as a reminder about hey, this is this is who we're playing for and you'll see people come from far and wide when you head up there on Tuesday.

Yeah, through your playing day, Salty like things come and go and memories and all that sort of stuff that there's not a whole heap of memories that are vivid in your mind, even that the playing stuff on the

Absolutely on the squad.

I think I know you pretty well and you delve into every selection.

So deeply.

You care for these players, your captain up and for the last, well ever since you've been coach is Daily Cherry Evans, How tough a call was it to leave D d C out of next week?

Look, it's it's hard. The call was hard.

The decision was the right one, I know that, but the call was really hard because because you're right, I've got a great relationship with Daily, started off by being teammates, and then obviously you know the coach and the captain and and the half back. And the first thing I will say is is Daily has done so much for this Jersey. He's done so much for this state. He's

That is something that you know he will be remembered for.

And although he was disappointed when when I made the call, look he.

Took it with great character, great respect.

And we actually had a pretty good conversation about his origin career and what he has done and how proud he should be. So, yeah, although it was hard, it was the first call that I made.

And that's the difference, isn't it between the call is hard, But then you as coach and one of the selectors along with Darren and Jean, a confident now that you've made the right call because you look at Tom did and you've been singing his praises on this podcast for this year and a lot longer.

He's in some sort of form, isn't.

We talk about earning your opportunity and earning every opportunity, and it's nearly more the fact that Tom has really earned this opportunity to play in the seven Jersey.

You know, That's that's what I feel.

Is is the overriding decision behind this is that you know he definitely deserves this and he has earned this and he works as hard as anyone.

He'll do whatever it takes for the team.

And we saw that in game one, and now he gets his opportunity to play in his favorite position.

And it's his time.

It was his reaction because he's very he doesn't show his emotion a lot, is a very measured individual.

But what was his reaction?

Yeah, he might he might have been a little bit surprised, But that's the humility that Tom has.

And you know, but the thing in his own humble way.

He expresses his confidence. You know, he's he's going to do a great job no matter where you put him in. Yeah, he's he'd be excited about the opportunity, that's for sure.

Another phone call that you made was across the Tasman the Kurk Capewell, who's always done a great job when when all upon he's played about twelve origins now as Kurt. But the reason for bringing him back into the fold.

His habits, the habits that he that he has in every game that he plays.

It doesn't matter what team he's playing for.

He's a team first player. He can play multiple positions. So yeah, that that phone call was the only phone call that I made early in the week, given that the Warriors were coming over from New Zealand to to play the Sharks on Saturday afternoon. So yeah, I wanted to give him the best preparation and the knowledge that he was going to be in the squad, and so yeah, he was the phone call that I made early.

You've always said that you keep an eye on every player that is eligible to play for Queensland, and a lot of people might have just disregarded Kirk. Okay, here he is. He hasn't been picked. That means it's all over. But you're watching everyone, aren't you.

Absolutely every Queenslander that takes the field in the NRL I'm aware of and I make sure that I watched them thoroughly.

I watched the habits of their game.

It doesn't matter whether they've played three NRL games or three hundred NRL games. It's my job and my responsibility to understand what habits they bring to their footy team and if they're the best person for the position in this Queensland team, well they're considered.

Another person coming to the squad is Ezra Man, who was brilliant on Saturday night.

He's had a couple of really good games three games.

Backing now into his into his season, he's been on the edge of the squad for some time.

Hasn't he.

Yeah, he was a member of this squad a couple of years ago. And yeah, he's a wonderful player. He's a wonderful player. And since he's come back, you know, he's really helped the Broncos create a bit of spark. I actually believe that he could play multiple positions. I think he's physically talented enough to do that. So yeah, no, he's a welcomed inclusion into the twenty men squad.

When do you decide on your seventeen?

Yeah, that'll happen tomorrow.

So we'll work out how the seventeen his position, to sit down and talk to the coaches, and then tomorrow lunchtime we'll announce. You know, what the the eighteen men's team is going to look like.

Because he got Kurt Man, for instance, he's playing today.

You need to see him get get through today and what he'll join the squad tonight.

Yeah, he'll come in tonight.

Yeah, he's the only member of the squad that he's playing today, So you know, conscious of him and his preparation. You know the squad is what it is, and then you know tonight tomorrow morning will assemble what our team is going to look like.

Billy with that, and you know you've got the players that come in. How important is it for you to keep everyone upbeat? And so this is this is a fresh start now? Is that part of what your your messaging is to the players as well?

Hey, this is this is a.

Game to you move on pretty quickly from from game one day?

Good question, actually, because.

You do need to be confident, you do need to have clarity about where you're going, but you need to know where we went wrong as well.

And what we didn't get right.

Like, we won't be sweeping anything under the carpet, that's for sure. It's not about just forget everything and just go, oh, let's just try and build this again. It's it's about understanding, you know, why we didn't play our best footing and what contributed to that and what we have control over in that. So that'll be the first thing that we do, and then and then from then on, it's it's about

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Billy Reese wells actually have for the Broncos against the Titans.

Was he close?

It was great to see Reese back and great to

But at the same time, yeah, you've got to think who is best.

For the position, and you know, we've got great faith in the fullback that we've got, so.

Yeah, and Kaylen comes in with that big moment under his belt, now doesn't he On Thursday night Golden Point he scores the match winning try for the night. So yeah, so all of a sudden he comes in up in about two does after some positivity.

At club length?

Yeah yeah, and that was a good moment for him and his team. Obviously their first half wasn't wasn't great and there to come back from that takes a fair bit of character from the footy team and you know he was front and center of that.

So I'm sure we're coming with a bit of confidence.

Well, Billy, time to talk about three players that will have the most powerful impact in Game two and this is brought to you by Ampole Powering, Australia's own sporting nation.

Now.

The first player he made his origin debut in game one, and that's Robert Soyer.

You know how big a fan I am of Roberts'.

Love calling him play and he was magnificent, wasn't he in game one?

So that he really belongs at this level of the game.

Yeah, he was great.

You know for a young twenty year old like to be as mature as he is.

Off the field, he's got.

Great humility, he's a humble young man and he's got great respect. And then on the field, he's got really good habits. For the inexperience that he does have, the habits are exceptional, so he's done a really good job in growing those. The roosters and Trent Robinson have obviously

But I love the fact that he.

Has locked into the team environment, he has locked into what the team needs and playing his role within that. So yeah, he's been a pleasure to get to know off the field and a pleasure to be a part of his inaugural series as as a Queensland player.

Another one is Harry Grant and he's going to be much better physically this week. Only played the sixty minutes coming back from that pretty nasty hamstring injury that he had, so how much you're looking forward to him next week and probably just following on from that as well.

So let's speak harder.

If you if you like the conditions in Perth could well be suited to someone like Harry as well.

Yeah, maybe there could be a little bit of rain over in Perth as well. I've just been keeping eye on the weather there, but that's irrelevant. Harry is a very professional person. He takes a lot of pride in his performance, and he'd be the first one to put his hand up and say that he was blowy standard in game one. You're right, physically, he's got a bit more footy under his belt. Played eighty minutes on the weekend.

All right, we look forward to seeing him in action. Another player I want to ask you about we've already touched on is Tom Diedden and his approach to his footy and how humble he is he's spoken about that. One thing that doesn't get spoken a lot about Tom is his toughness as well his willingness to really get involved defensively.

I think he's got a really good balance to what his game looks like.

We talk about his toughness and his willingness to put his body on the line and commit himself to the tough side of the game, that's certainly there in great levels. There's a lot of skill in Tom diden as well. You know, he creates things and organizes things in and around his area. He does that really well. And the other thing he's a really dangerous ball runner.

So I think he's.

Got a really good mix to his game and it's up to the rest of his teammates to help him unlock all that, to move with.

Him and.

Build that kind of newity within you know, those key positions as well. So yeah, look, he's you know, he's a wonderful player. He's you know, he's been a great guy to have in this camp and he's a real team first guy. So yeah, he'd be looking forward to his opportunity.

Fat has always said, hasn't he, that he loves a half that runs the ball.

Is that one of the Queensland strengths that run threat on either side with given what you said about time and of course we know what Cam offers.

Yeah, Tom's got a bit of ginger about his hair too, so maybe that's a bit.

Of favor for the Fat but.

Oh yeah, look, you know we all know that any player that is dangerous with their running game helps all other aspects of their game, and Tom certainly that.

Just finally, Billy and the challenge. I know you love the challenge. You must be just relishing what what does lie ahead this week and getting this team up for the must win.

Game over in Perth. But I get the.

Sense you're very excit about spending this week with the guys and preparing them for for next Wednesday night.

Yeah, what an opportunity. You know, we didn't get our game right in game one. It was at home. To be fair, there was probably a few little shortcuts in our game. We can't afford that anymore. We've got to take the long road. We've got to go to Perth, we've got to go to Sydney. And if we're willing to take the long road, well we'll give ourselves a chance. So you know, if that mentality is what the group takes on, well you know they're a footy team and you don't over just yet, we don't give up.

Well good luck. Look to heading over to Perth next week. I'll actually be chaperoning your former number nine on.

A course on a course on Tuesday golf course.

Yes, that's rights are good.

Well, it's a long trip. A good luck billy. Enjoy the week and good luck next Wednesday night.

A sly back