{"id":698064,"date":"2026-05-27T14:59:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T14:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/698064\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T14:59:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T14:59:11","slug":"state-of-origin-2026-queensland-maroons-post-match-press-conference-billy-slater-cameron-munster-kalyn-ponga-send-off-substitutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/698064\/","title":{"rendered":"State of Origin 2026: Queensland Maroons post-match press conference, Billy Slater, Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga send off, substitutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Queensland coach Billy Slater has revealed he had \u201cno problems\u201d with the potentially series-defining decision to send Kalyn Ponga off after an ugly high shot on Tolu Koula in the Origin opener.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Maroons\u2019 No.1 made contact with Koula\u2019s head in a cross-field cover tackle, with a nasty head clash resulting in the NSW star being taken from the field and Ponga handed his marching orders.<\/p>\n

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It proved the turning point as the Blues went on to produce the greatest ever comeback in Origin history.<\/p>\n

Slater was asked about the decision in his post match press conference but refused to criticise referee Ashley Klein.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is what it is… we can argue all we want, but it is what it is, let\u2019s call them. I haven\u2019t got any problems with it,\u201d Slater said.<\/p>\n

Post-match, Ponga came into the coaching box to apologise for his send off and Slater <\/a>explained he was \u201cheartbroken\u201d for his side, while also giving a nod to NSW\u2019s stellar comeback.<\/p>\n

ORIGIN NEWS<\/p>\n

BLUES MIRACLE: NSW stun QLD to make history in Origin\u2019s \u2018greatest escape\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018I BLEED BLUE, BUT…\u2019: Maroons superstar SENT off in \u2018outrageous\u2019 controversy<\/a><\/p>\n

Loz credits Cleary for Greatest comeback | 12:59<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s okay, he obviously feels he\u2019s let his team down, but those things happen in games. They happen really quick,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played that position, I know how hard it is and spur of the moment, it\u2019s wet out there, things happen. I thought it was a courageous effort from our players.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am heartbroken for them, the effort they put in… NSW did a great job, they had to chase the points down and they got them right at the death.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a tough night and a tough feeling, but I thought they played with plenty of spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Queensland skipper Cameron Munster said he thought the contact may have been \u201chead on head\u201d but conceded the \u201creferee and Bunker saw it differently\u201d.<\/p>\n

PLAYER RATINGS<\/p>\n

QLD: Billy\u2019s big gamble backfires; play that could haunt QLD rookie<\/a><\/p>\n

NSW: Debut stunner sparks awkward Moses dilemma; huge Daley call pays off<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleary HEROICS sparks Blues comeback | 00:32<\/p>\n

Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n

Slater was also asked how he saw the \u201cinitial collision\u201d, but once again batted away any suggestion the decision to send Ponga off was the wrong call.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve asked me how I saw it, I haven\u2019t got a problem with it, it\u2019s fine. I\u2019m not going to make any more noise about it. It is what it is,\u201d he responded.<\/p>\n

The 2026 series opener also marked the first game Origin game that allowed teams to utilise the six-man bench, a rule introduced ahead of this year\u2019s NRL season.<\/p>\n

Only four of those players can take the field, and Slater had one player left to call on when Ponga was given his marching orders.<\/p>\n

Pat Carrigan, Lindsay Collins and Briton Nikora had already joined the contest, leaving Trent Loeiro, Ezra Mam and Gehamat Shibasaki to choose from.<\/p>\n

NSW PRESSER: One question Daley wouldn\u2019t answer as Blues coach gives cryptic Moses reply<\/a><\/p>\n

“I’d like you to keep your job” | 00:28<\/p>\n

With Ponga off, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow shifted to fullback, and instead of Shibasaki slotting into the backline, Capewell was shuffled to the centres and Loeiro was subbed on.<\/p>\n

While NSW had an extra man which assisted their momentum, Kotoni Staggs also got the upper hand against Capewell on the right edge.<\/p>\n

When asked if his interchange went to plan, Slater made his feelings clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we had someone sent off, so that\u2019s far from as planned,\u201d Slater bristled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to shift a back rower out into the centres and we had to rotate our middle quite heavily. When things like that happen in the game, it\u2019s far from planned.<\/p>\n

ORIGIN NEWS<\/p>\n

\u2018I HATE THAT\u2019: Joey fumes as crucial Bunker call sparks Origin debate<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018REALLY IMPORTANT: Maroons\u2019 spiritual 20th man revealed in touching tribute<\/a><\/p>\n

Blues BOMB crucial 2nd half try | 00:31<\/p>\n

As for if Slater will make any changes to his team for Game II, he said: \u201cNot at this stage, no\u201d \u2014 and he won\u2019t be forced into a fullback reshuffle.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, in typical Slater fashion, he made sure to speak to the Queensland people, who he said should be \u201cproud\u201d of this Maroons side.<\/p>\n

Queensland came within seconds of defending a 14-point lead with 12 men for 23 minutes, and Slater was confident his side will bounce back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe heart and spirit that they fought with, they had 23 minutes in a State of Origin game with 12 men, they fought hard and you could see that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were just holding on in stages and like Cam said, one moment at the end of the game and it could be a different story, but it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the journey we have been put on, these are the cards we have been dealt and we will be playing that hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really proud, I am sure Queenslanders are proud of their footy team right now. We went down on the scoreboard, but I think Queenslanders will be proud of their side.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Queensland coach Billy Slater has revealed he had \u201cno problems\u201d with the potentially series-defining decision to send Kalyn…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":698065,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-698064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/698064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=698064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/698064\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/698065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=698064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=698064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=698064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}