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
Sam Cane is a superstar, someone New Zealand should be proud of. How unfair to always compare him to Richie, like saying Mother Theresa is ok, but she's no Jesus. Let's not forget, Sam started in 2012 around the time Richie was probably starting to think, this will be my last world cup cycle if you think he didn't have a big say in who the backup 7 would be and who was best to take over from him after 2015 then you don't understand how clever and forward thinking the man was. Sam Cane was Richie's choice, as apprentice and replacement. Not many people can say they are a better judg Anyone who understands rugby knows the loosies are a trio picked to complement each other, not 3 guys who score trys and make line breaks. No doubt Sam would love to be doing what Ardie does, that's not what was required of him. He had to hit rucks hard , force turnovers and tackle like an animal On defence, that's what he did.
6 Go to commentsThis article overlooks how the 9 position has developed to be a playmaker, which these 2 are both excellent at. Defences are so good now there is not the luxury of going 9 -> 10 on every play. Playing “off 9” as they say, has become very commonplace these days, but 10+ years ago you hardly saw this. Boiling the great modern 9s down to box kicking doesn’t do justice to how good the great ones have become. Dupont would be the first choice 10 in most teams in the world, JGP pops up in places you would never expect a 9 to be.
19 Go to commentsThe banning of the croc roll will make carrying the ball into contact far more risky, leading to more kicking, and the change to the Dupont law will mean forwards have to do far more running than they do now. As a result I think there will be a rise of smaller, more mobile forwards who are strong defenders and strong over the ball like Kirifi.
3 Go to commentsWhat does the ownership of the club have to do with the poor performance of the team. It’s not as if he’s coaching them or in any way influencing the composition of the teams. I honestly don’t understand the comment.
1 Go to commentsHe knows his body is not up to the work load of international rugby. The fact that Cane only played only 27 of the 46 games the ABs played while he was officially captain is a telling statistic. And that excludes the time he had out with neck injury. He was never able to put a long enough body of work together to get back to his best without a new injury setting him back. He knows better than anyone that the problem will get worse, not better, given the same workload. Correct decision and good luck to him.
6 Go to commentsWith three clubs it's surely death by oligopoly!😂 I suspect that other french clubs like Montpellier rich enough to compete, they are just missing some vital ingredients. Do you think that keeping an eight player bench but only being allowed to use four would level the playing field a bit? The 12 changes rule sounds disastrous for running rugby.
110 Go to commentsNice article
32 Go to commentsSurely they aren’t that short of 10s in the northern hemisphere?
1 Go to commentsBest wishes to a true warrior who gave everything for his team and country. He was no McCaw but the closest we've had in recent years in terms putting his head into dark places, leading the defensive line and securing the attacking breakdown - the core roles of a modern open side. If only he could have played more tests under Foster and Plumtree with blindsides who fulfilled their core roles. 2027 was always going to be a long shot. Hopefully Papalii fulfils the promise of 2021 and late 2022 and/or Lakai turns out to be as good as he looks.
6 Go to commentsFair play to him. A lot of exciting talent coming up in the loose forward position, can’t wait to see the next generation.
6 Go to commentsSam wants to focus on his family and learning how to tackle legally…what’s Japanese for ‘bend at the waist’?
6 Go to commentsNice story
1 Go to commentsThere's a log jam at the moment of quality number sevens competing for an All Black jersey. I think Du Plessis Kirifi is certainly one of them and has now developed an accurate sharp and energetic game as compared to when he was first picked. Would love to see Billy Harmon get first dibs at the jersey (been outstanding in a struggling side for a few seasons now), as I believe we've seen enough of Papali'i to understand what he brings to the role. Lakai is young and will get his shot. Du Plessis would be a bolt off the bench but his lack of versatility may hinder his chances.
3 Go to commentsGood Luck Sam, enjoy Japan.
6 Go to commentsWhen Sth Africa had Joost and Honiball at 9 and 10 they were almost impenetrable in and around the ruck. Even Jonah couldn't make headway in those channels so they were very hard to get in behind. They had a fantastic side who played a fast, rugged style which won them the Tri Nations during that period. That side would beat their current mob of which I have no doubt.
2 Go to commentsAwesome win by the NZ U20s. They were excellent in the 2nd half with some very patient and accurate phase play, a dominant scrum and decent lineout. Simpson controlled things very well at 10 and it was amazing to see the team maintain their composure and score points when he was in the sin bin for a very harsh yellow card.
2 Go to commentscome on Toulouse
1 Go to commentsNot unless the cartels get interested in rugby like they did w football
1 Go to commentsYes Dobbo, you were absolute crap. Start respecting the ball and possession. If you played rugby instead of basketball against the Ospreys, you would have been n the top two now, not fifth! If you attractively and entertainingly throw the ball around for 80 minutes and lose, WE DON’T FKN ENJOY IT!
1 Go to commentsWe need a system of transfer fees. A club shouldn’t just get to sign Will Harrison when he’s been funded in NSW his entire rugby life because they have more money.
110 Go to comments