Paul Gallen and his NSW teammates have found an unlikely ally in Billy Slater, who backed the current squad to be retained for game three.
“We’re in a result driven industry but you look at game one, where Queensland won by a penalty goal, and in game two if Michael Jennings scores that try New South Wales could very well have won it,” Slater said on The Sunday Footy Show.
“It’s really tough that the criticism comes so hard and so early.
“I know the series is all wrapped up but do you change the side all that much?
“They’re two situations in both games that could have lead to a different result.”
One of the biggest names on the chopping block is Gallen, looking for a win in what will be his farewell to Origin if picked.
“There’s always going to be changes,” the 22-Origin vet said.
“If you look at this team compared to last years, there’s 11 changes already. We went into game one with seven changes; we had four debutants and about six blokes who had played less than four or five Origin games.
“When you change the team all of a sudden all of the media is saying ‘you’ve got four debutants and six blokes who are new to Origin, how are you going to beat this Queensland side?’
“You change, you can’t win. You don’t change, you can’t win. It’s just one of those things. It comes down to the result.
“If you win it’s all good but if you lose you cop criticism. That’s just the game we’re in.”
