Bellamy lessons guide Slater Origin crack
Rookie Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater says part of his job is instilling belief in his players, but they have returned the favour for him.
A text from Craig Bellamy this week continued Billy Slater’s crash course on coaching that is beginning in the State of Origin arena and could possibly flow into the NRL.
The champion Queensland fullback will be just the third person to lead an Origin team without any previous senior head coaching experience when he guides the Maroons against NSW in Game 1 on Wednesday in Sydney.
It’s been unusually smooth sailing in the build-up, talk naturally circling back to the man himself in lieu of any hiccups, with interest in his methods, mentors and aspirations.
“I’ve never dipped my toe in in my life; it’s a start of this (coaching) for me … but just another part of my Queensland Origin story,” said Slater on Tuesday.
“So where it takes me, I don’t know.
“This team has been important to me since I was a four-year-old boy … that’s the only reason I’m here.”
Slater has had former Maroons teammates Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Nate Myles and Greg Inglis in camp to assist but admitted his former Storm mentor Bellamy remained a confidant.
“He’s been very influential … I’ve been around Craig for 20 years, you know, so if you’re around someone for long enough, you become that environment,” he said, noting Bellamy’s work ethic as his biggest strength.
“They have an influence over you and he’s been he’s been great to me, very supportive, sent me a text yesterday actually.
“I don’t anticipate carrying on like him (during the game), but stranger things have happened.”
The rookie coach admitted the stress of the task hit him once the Maroons arrived in camp on the Gold Coast last week.
“But we had a couple of really good sessions and that put me at ease,” he said.
“So from Saturday on I’ve been really, really comfortable, really excited.
“The players have given given me a lot of belief. I suppose a part of my job is to instil belief in them, but I’ll tell you what they’ve instilled a fair bit of belief in me.”
Queensland were flogged 50-6 and 26-0 to surrender the Origin shield last year, their campaign dogged by injury, illness, ill-discipline and even ineligibility issues when Ronaldo Mulitalo was scratched on the morning of the second game.
This year’s build-up has lacked any of that, the focus more on football as Queensland’s in-form side featuring four debutants attempts to win in Sydney for the first time since 2017.
“You’re talking about things going wrong, I think you focus on what you can control,” Slater said.
“We’ve touched on (last year) a little bit, but it’s about us playing our best football. The guys that were involved last year didn’t do that, but this is a totally new group.”
Slater said bench utility Harry Grant could share the field with hooker Ben Hunt, rather than be a straight swap, while debutant Reuben Cotter faces the task of shutting down ball-playing lock Isaah Yeo and backrower Jeremiah Nanai looms as a trump card on the bench.
“The big moments, they’ll happen, they’ll come, but they’ll never happen if you don’t do a small moment,” he said.
“So that’s really important for the players to focus on because you know if you go ahead and chase the big moments you’ll forget about the small ones.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
6 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
6 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to comments