Few Queenslanders can sum up what State of Origin Game Three 2011 means better than the world’s best fullback Billy Slater.
He’s been there 16 times before and according to him this Wednesday will be the most crucial of the lot.
Slater has been involved with seven years of the Queensland Origin camp and all five winning Origin series so far.
Throw into that the fact he’s contested four NRl Grand Finals at Club level and a World Club final as well.
“I can’t remember a build-up with so much attention and so much at stake,” Slater told Sydney’s 95.3FM.
“Obviously the dominant run we’ve had over the last five years is a huge contributor to that.
“And the Blues are playing some really good footy. Their completion rates in that second game were outstanding and I’m sure they will be riding on a fair bit of confidence.
“With Darren Lockyer’s last game and all that sort of stuff it’s certainly the biggest game I’ve prepared for in an Origin. It’s really exciting but.
“It’s exciting to be involved in it. It goes to show State of Origin is the elite. It draws the most attention.
“I’m sure everyone who has a ticket to this game is not letting go of this one.”
He says despite the intensity and pressure there’s no need to change anything given it’s a formula which ahs worked so well for the last five years.
“We’ve got a lot at stake … as do the Blues,” he said. “But the Blues are riding on a lot of confidence after the first and second games.
“We have the opportunity to go six-nil in the series; six straight wins … and obviously send off one of the greatest players ever to pull on a Maroons jersey on a note that he deserves.”
Slater said one of the strengths of the Queensland team was “the great belief in the side”.
“The current crop of players that we’ve got together at the moment have been through a fair bit,” he said.
“We just believe in the game plan and the people around us to get ourselves out of trouble.
“It’s really important that we hit the lead and really put them (NSW) away this time. The last couple of times they have come back at us although we started the game well.
“They have come back and hit the front. It’s important that we really start well in front of our home crowd.”
He says while it’s a massive plus to have the emotion of Locky’s last game in front of a packed out Suncorp Stadium, that won’t be enough to get them the trophy.
“We can’t think that Suncorp Stadium is going to win us that game of footy,” he said. “We have to rely on our actions and how we turn up mentally and physically prepared for the game.
“It’s important that we go out there not thinking the crowd brings us across the line, but if we do start well and we do bring the crowd into the game, that will be a real advantage for us.
“You can’t beat the atmosphere of playing footy there and I’m really looking forward to it.”
