NRL star suspects 'rat in ranks' within Maroons camp undermining Billy Slater's 'tight ship'

Queensland are suspected of having a "rat" inside their camp in the wake of Daly Cherry-Evans being axed from the team for game two.

The 36-year-old was left out of the Maroons squad following their game one loss, with Tom Dearden slotting in at halfback and Cameron Munster the new captain.

The decision from Billy Slater and the selection panel all-but ends Cherry-Evans' rep career, just weeks after he became the oldest player in State of Origin history.

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However, perhaps a bigger concern for Slater and company was raised by England legend James Graham during this week's episode of The Bye Round Podcast.

"What's noticeable about this is pretty much straight after Origin I it was being widely reported that DCE was gone," Graham said.

"The fact this was coming out of Queensland camp raises alarm bells. The fact it's leaked out, it's not something you naturally associate with Queensland rugby league.

"The coach has confided in some people what he's going to do and that has filtered through ... it's un-Queensland-like."

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Brandon Smith - who played alongside Slater during his time at the Melbourne Storm - then admitted it was a "sad" reality that the Maroons faced.

"There's a rat in the house," he said.

"If there is inside information coming out of the Queensland camp it's quite sad, especially under Billy's watch. I know he runs a tight ship.

"It's sad but it is what it is. What can you do about it? There is a rat."

Cherry-Evans wasn't the only player who featured in the series opener to be dumped, with back-rower Beau Fermor replaced by veteran Kurt Capewell.

Fermor played just 17 minutes in his Origin debut and was overlooked for Capewell, who has been in solid form this year for the Warriors.

Jeremiah Nanai and Patrick Carrigan have both been moved to the bench for game two, although those changes are under suspicion within NSW camp, with Angus Crichton this week claiming Queensland were playing "mind games".

While the Maroons are under pressure due to the game one result and the subsequent team changes, the blowtorch turned on the Blues on Thursday, with Mitchell Moses injuring his calf in a massive training ground blow and Jarome Luai called into camp to replace the Eels superstar.