Billy Slater fires back at Mark Carroll after NSW great's brutal claim ahead of State of Origin 3

Maroons coach Billy Slater has attempted to shut down Blues great Mark Carroll's brutal assessment of the Queensland forward pack after he suggested they lacked mongrel after their Game 2 thrashing. The Blues humiliated the Maroons 38-18 in Game 2 with the likes of Angus Crichton, Payne Haas, Liam Martin and Cameron Murray running the opposition ragged.

Slater was called to make changes leading into the decider at Suncorp with many NRL feeling the Maroons were completely outmuscled in Melbourne. However, Slater has opted to remain steadfast where he could with selections and even promoted Kurt Capewell to the starting back-row position.

His decision to exclude David Fifita raised eyebrows with the barnstorming forward left out of the squad entirely. Dragons back rower Jaydn Su'A was also dropped from the team in a surprise move for some. The Blues remain unchanged in the forwards with Michael Maguire rewarding the incumbents ahead of Game 3.

And the dominant performance prompted former Blues star Carroll to take a swipe at Queensland ahead of the decider. Carroll claimed the Maroons lacked a fear factor heading into Game 3 and questioned whether they could aim up. "These Queensland forwards wouldn't scare kids in a creche," Carroll wrote.

"Without Fifita there's just no fear factor. They've got plenty of workers such as Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter and Pat Carrigan, but no X-factor. I thought Fifita would be brought in to play a role like Spencer Leniu does for NSW, a power forward who skittles defenders."

Carroll's words got back to the Queensland camp with barbs flying around before the decider. And Slater has defended his unit as he searches for his third straight series win as coach.

"I think so - it's a collective, it's a 17-man team game and everyone has got to do their job," Slater said on Tuesday."We all missed our mark down in Melbourne, we understand that and we need to rise to the occasion. NSW are great, their standard of football was far superior to us.

"We're good with our 17. Those decisions don't have to be finalised until tomorrow, but we are very comfortable." There has been talks Slater will mix-up his starting side before kick-off with a swap between Ben Hunt and Harry Grant looming as a possibility.

Billy Slater hits out at Selwyn Cobbo reports

Slater has also been on the back foot when it comes to fending off reports he and Broncos star Selwyn Cobbo had clashed over their differing views on training. Reporter Danny Weidler said Cobbo is known to “run to his own beat”, while Slater wants his players to be more disciplined and have a mentality of “extras beyond extras”.

Weidler said on Sky Sports radio: “Maybe it’s a natural clash and maybe it’s something that can be sorted out. He (Cobbo) wasn’t there in Game 2, but do we know why? We’ve heard explanations, but do we really know why?”

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The claims were put to Slater later on Tuesday, and the Maroons coach was quick to deny them. "I actually haven't seen Selwyn more happy, I haven't seen him more engaged in his football and he's had a great week," the coach told reporters. "He is ready to play - gone are the days that you've got to report the truth. I don't know where that's come from, but it's totally fake news.

"Danny Weidler, I'm not sure, that's honestly the first I've heard of it. I was actually having a conversation yesterday with some of the coaching staff about how well his week has gone and he is ready to play.

"[My relationship] with Selwyn? It couldn't be stronger, I can't be more clear of that. For me to talk about this is totally irrelevant 24 hours before a game. Selwyn and I are fine and that's total fake news."