Phil Gould, a respected figure in New South Wales rugby league, believes that despite pressure mounting on Queensland’s coach Billy Slater, he is unlikely to be dismissed even if the Maroons suffer a second consecutive State of Origin series loss. Slater’s form has become a topic of concern as his team has faced three straight defeats, with their last victory coming in Game One of last year’s series.
Queensland has also struggled at Suncorp Stadium, a venue previously considered a fortress, having lost consecutive matches there—a daunting trend for a historically dominant side. Slater, a legendary fullback and two-time recipient of the Wally Lewis Medal, enjoyed a strong start, winning five of his first seven matches and guiding the Maroons to triumphs in both the 2022 and 2023 series. However, he now faces the challenge of securing a victory in Perth to keep Queensland’s hopes of forcing a deciding game alive.
Following his success in 2023, Slater signed an extension with Queensland Rugby League, committing to coach the team through to 2026. While another loss could ramp up scrutiny on the Queensland Rugby League, Gould, during his podcast, stated, “I don’t think Billy is in any danger of losing his job,” indicating there’s no cause for alarm just yet and that the focus should remain on immediate results.
Support for Slater has also been echoed by Frank Ponissi, the NSW team manager, who has known Slater from their time together at the Melbourne Storm. Despite facing criticism for diverging from Queensland’s traditional “pick and stick” selection policy and making the contentious decision to drop captain Daly Cherry-Evans, Ponissi believes Slater’s intentions were to enhance team performance.
As the 13th coach of the Queensland Origin team, Slater’s current win percentage stands at 45.5%, positioning him among the lower ranks of coaches with over one series under their belt. Nonetheless, the essence of Origin hinges more on series wins than individual match outcomes, making Slater’s previous victories significant.
In the face of uncertainty surrounding the Maroons’ future, Gould remains optimistic about Slater’s continuity, suggesting that discussions regarding his job security might be premature. The upcoming match will be crucial, not just for the series but also for the coaching landscape as Slater aims to prove his critics wrong.