In short:
Queensland coach Billy Slater has warned his side against expecting to win the Origin decider on the Lang Park factor alone.
The Maroons have only lost two deciders on home soil in Origin history but Slater has urged his team to inspire the parochial home crowd.
What’s next?
Queensland and New South Wales will meet in the Origin decider on Wednesday night.
It is the spiritual home of Queensland rugby league but Maroons coach Billy Slater has warned the power of Lang Park alone won’t be enough to win the State of Origin series decider.
The Maroons have lost Origin deciders in Brisbane just twice in Origin history — in 1994 and 2005 — while winning 10 and drawing one.
All 13 of those deciders have been played at Lang Park apart from Queensland’s 40-12 win at QEII Stadium in 2001.
Slater understands the sacred nature of Lang Park for the Maroons. It is why he holds his press conferences to announce the Maroons team out the front of the colossus.
A parochial crowd will get behind the home team in Wednesday night’s Origin decider against NSW, but the Maroons must improve on their 38-18 thrashing in game II to win their third consecutive series.
“This is the home of State of Origin. This is where it was born in 1980 and it is obviously a very special place for this footy team, but it is made special by the performance of this footy team,” Slater said.
“One without the other is irrelevant and we need to make sure our performance is first class. We can’t have the same performance we put in the first half of game II otherwise the atmosphere won’t be what Lang Park can create.
“It is important we bring our end of the bargain and the atmosphere will bring theirs.”
The record of the Maroons at Lang Park in deciders is superb but 1994 and 2005 showed they are not invincible.
“Nothing is guaranteed in life. You have got to earn it,” Slater said.
“We know the atmosphere this (stadium) creates and it is going to be a great occasion. Everyone knows that the anticipation around it is going to be huge and we are all excited for that. We need to bring our footy. That is what we will be going after.”
Slater accepted that winning the decider against a confident and in-form NSW side would be one of his great challenges in what has been a short coaching career.
“Yeah. If it is not a challenge you are not trying hard enough,” he said.
“If there is no pressure involved and there are no nerves you are not trying hard enough. You have to be outside your comfort zone and throw your hat in the ring and give it a go. That is what the players will be doing and why we are here.”
AAP
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