Blues icon mocks Maroons over huge Ponga call

1 year ago 137

NSW large Paul Gallen has lashed Queensland for a determination distant from its accepted "pick and stick" enactment mantra for State of Origin bid opener.

Maroons manager Billy Slater made headlines by leaving retired the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai, with 7 changes successful full made from the squad that won past year's series.

Gallen said helium was near successful disbelief erstwhile helium saw the Queensland squad without the aforementioned stars, peculiarly Gagai, who has been a thorn successful the Blues' broadside for years.

"Queensland, they accidental this each the time, 'You don't recognize Origin, you've got nary idea, we prime and stick', (they've made) 7 changes from past year's winning series," helium told 2GB's Wide World of Sports Radio.

"Queensland, spell and prime your nose, seriously. It made maine laughter truthful hard erstwhile they near those blokes out, Kurt Capewell, Dane Gagai, Kalyn Ponga, I could not judge it.

Kalyn Ponga was near retired of the Origin opener having lone precocious returned from his concussion issues (Getty)

"There's lone 1 happening near to bash New South Wales, spell and get the occupation done.

"Get it done successful crippled 1 and past we'll spot Queensland crawl backmost to their aged ways to commencement plucking guys retired of reserve grade, who knows."

Slater's determination connected his fullback — Ponga oregon Broncos prima Reece Walsh — was 1 of the much anticipated calls earlier the 2 states' squads were revealed.

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The erstwhile Storm prima said the Queensland brains spot had factored successful a work of attraction to Ponga erstwhile leaving him retired aft the Knights prima spent a ample chunk of the archetypal fractional of the play connected the sidelines owed to concussion problems.

"It is the close determination for the squad and Reece Walsh has been playing fantastic football," Slater said.

"I person watched him person than astir radical and helium is successful a truly bully place."

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