Source : ABC NEWS
Pick ‘n’ stick has always been a myth, even before Queensland dropped its halfback and captain after last year’s series opener.
From 2006 through most of the 2010s, the Maroons had an unprecedented bunch of all-time greats whose form never seemed to dip and for whom injuries rarely became a factor. So why would you change that winning formula?
At all other times, there have simply been fewer options for the Maroons to pick from. So if someone like Dane Gagai wasn’t playing great footy at club level, you may want him in the Origin team because he’s performed there before, but there may also simply not be many options behind him.
For NSW, there were some suggestions of dropping Stephen Crichton (a few months ago the consensus best centre in the game) which seems crazy until you realise Latrell Mitchell, Casey McLean, Kotoni Staggs, Tolu Koula, Bradman Best and Jack Bostock were just some of the alternatives. A bounty unthinkable north of the border.
And lo, the legend of Origin Gagai. Queensland’s history is full of these guys — Gagai, Ash Harrison, Aidan Guerra, Nate Myles. NSW’s isn’t because there are simply more people gunning for your spot if you slip.
Billy Slater really likes these players. The ‘been there, done that’ crowd. Guys who, when questioned about their selection, he can say something a bit condescending about people perhaps not watching the game as closely as he does.
The 2026 team has a few of his favourites, who may not be in career-best form and may even have others performing better than them at clubland, but who he feels he can put ultimate trust in.
Lindsay Collins will be in Slater’s top 17 until one of them retires, and Kurt Capewell and Reuben Cotter are getting to be the same way. Trent Loiero’s selection feels like it can only be chalked up to two strong outings in last year’s series (and maybe a bit of Storm loyalty), and I just know Max Plath is going to become one of Billy’s Buddies.
