Matthew Johns says the Queensland camp are playing mind games with their New South Wales opponents ahead of the State of Origin opener
Rugby league great Matthew Johns has revealed his own ‘conspiracy theory’ ahead of the State of Origin opener, claiming the Queensland camp are playing mind games with their New South Wales opponents.
John’s believes the question marks over Ben Hunt’s fitness explains the Maroons shock inclusion of Anthony Milford for game one at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday night.
‘Let’s talk conspiracies now. Maybe they’re hiding the fact that Ben Hunt’s leg’s not right, maybe Anthony Milford’s going to start and Kalyn Ponga’s going to start on the bench,’ Johns said on Triple M’s the Grill Team.
‘All these things, all these little nuances, this is part of the game. I’m not saying these players aren’t injured, they are injured, but there’s some ducks and drakes.’
Johns suggested Maroons coach Kevin Walters ‘obviously has concerns’ with Hunt’s quad injury and said Milford would play a major role if his leg wasn’t right.
John’s believes the question marks over Ben Hunt’s fitness explains Kevin Walters’ shock inclusion of Anthony Milford for the series opener
There are questions marks over the fitness of Maroons star Ben Hunt (pictured) ahead of game one
Meanwhile, Walters was accused of misleading reporters after telling a packed MCG press conference on Monday Billy Slater would play Origin I, only for the Maroons to put out a release hours later confirming the veteran fullback had pulled out.
Walters appeared to make light of the fallout at a Tuesday press conference when addressing yet another drama after winger Dane Gagai suffered a finger injury at training.
‘Did he get injured? I didn’t see that. I am a liar,’ Walters quipped when asked about Gagai’s fitness.
Asked what he thought of being called a liar by critics in the wake of Slater’s withdrawal, Walters said: ‘I know the integrity of myself and the way I conduct myself. I think I am pretty good bloke.’
Walters appeared to make light of the fallout at a Tuesday press conference when addressing yet another drama after winger Dane Gagai (right) suffered a finger injury at training.
‘Did he get injured? I didn’t see that. I am a liar,’ Walters quipped when asked about the fitness of Gagai (pictured)
But Walters was later more expansive, saying he wasn’t playing ‘ducks and drakes’ even though he admitted delaying telling the media about Slater to protect the team.
‘Honestly our team was in Brisbane and I was in Melbourne and I wanted to make sure that our team was fully aware of Billy withdrawing from the game before anyone else outside of the team knew,’ Walters told Fox Sports’ NRL 360.
‘That to me is just common sense and if you’ve been part of a team you know the respect that the team deserves. At the end of the day my priority is this rugby league team.
Walters at least has one less thing to worry about.
‘Maybe they’re hiding the fact that Ben Hunt’s leg’s not right, maybe Anthony Milford’s going to start and Kalyn Ponga’s (pictured) going to start on the bench,’ Johns said
Kevin Walters and Anthony Milford speak to a trainer during a Queensland Maroons Captain’s Run on Tuesday
Gagai looks set to play after scans did not detect a finger fracture in a shot in the arm for Walters’ Maroons as they begin life without retired greats Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.
New South Wales have insisted they don’t care who runs out for the Maroons on Wednesday night.
‘Not a thing (changes),’ veteran NSW five-eighth James Maloney said.
‘We haven’t done a thing all week about Queensland. It’s been about getting our own backyard in order and that’s where the focus will stay.
‘They’re going to be tough, it doesn’t matter who it is. They’ll play well and they’ve got a very good side. There’s no shying away from that.’
Queensland State of Origin coach Kevin Walters (left) and NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler
Ben Hunt passes the ball during a Queensland Maroons training session
NSW have had other issues on their mind this week, namely getting 11 new players to gel at Origin level without cracking under pressure.
Blues players trained together on the MCG for the first time on Tuesday afternoon, signifying for most the first time they’d ever stepped foot on the ground.
‘The message for us all week, because there’s been such a change and new players, we’ve just been really focused on ourselves,’ captain Boyd Cornder
‘We haven’t read too much into their injuries or what their team is going to look like. We’re just focused on ourselves.’