Billy Slater shared his thoughts on why the prospect of Sam Walker representing Queensland gives him "chills."
In a candid moment, the Queensland coach discussed his choice to leave Reece Walsh out of the lineup, as well as an "emotional" phone conversation he had with Dolphins forward Tom Flegler.
Slater recently announced his 20-man squad for the upcoming State of Origin opener in Sydney, with Walsh being the most notable absentee since Kalyn Ponga snagged the fullback position.
Additionally, the ankle injury affecting Tom Dearden opened opportunities for veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans to make a comeback. However, Slater ultimately opted for Walker, seeing him as the best fit for both immediate and future needs.
Earlier on Sunday, there were speculations that Ponga could potentially play at halfback while Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow would take over the fullback role, making Walsh's exclusion even more noticeable.
Though Slater didn't validate or dismiss those rumors on Monday, he did explain to reporters that he carefully considered all options before finalizing his selection.
"I don't think you'd be doing your due diligence and respecting your position as the coach if you didn't look at all options," Slater stated.