Ponga trend that could force Maroons to flick Walsh switch

Whether Billy Slater activates State of Origin super sub Reece Walsh in game two, and how he uses the Broncos ace if he does pull the trigger, are among the burning questions ahead of the MCG clash.

So, too, whether Laurie Daley’s decision to back Mitchell Moses despite his lack of recent game time will pay off, and whether Kalyn Ponga will keep his shoulder charge issue in check.

Nine.com.au takes a look at five burning questions as NSW and Queensland gear up for next Wednesday night’s showdown, with the Blues holding a 1-0 series lead after winning game one 22-20.

How will Slater use Walsh?

There is not a more damaging player in attack in rugby league than Walsh when the gun fullback is on song. And that reality – made patently clear by his premiership-winning, Clive Churchill Medal-winning, Ashes-conquering destruction at the back end of last season – is sure to have sent shivers through the NSW camp after his recall for game two.

Sensationally snubbed by Slater for the series opener, the 23-year-old phenom has nabbed a spot on Queensland’s six-man bench for game two, returning at the expense of Broncos teammate Ezra Mam.

Slater was tight-lipped on Monday when asked about the role he envisioned Walsh playing off the bench.

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“Yeah, we’ll work that out as the week goes on,” the Maroons coach said.

Presuming Walsh does get a crack in Melbourne, will Slater shift Ponga and thrust the Broncos No.1 into fullback? Will he throw Walsh on a wing? Or will he unleash “Reece Lightning” in the middle of the park with a licence to roam?

You have to wonder if Ponga’s recent history of flying close to the sun with his tackle technique may have played into the selectors’ thinking when they opted to bring Walsh onto the bench.

Will Daley’s bold Moses call pay off?

Daley has named Moses in the No.6 jumper despite the fact he won’t have played at any level in a full month when he runs out at the MCG.

The Parramatta captain was originally named at five-eighth for game one but withdrew because of a hamstring issue. Canberra youngster Ethan Strange took his place at Accor Stadium and produced a blinder in his absence.

When Moses suits up at the MCG, he won’t have played since Parramatta’s 34-8 defeat to Melbourne on May 16.

“I don’t think it’s a risk,” Daley said on Tuesday.

“I’ve got full confidence in Mitch; he’s ticking every box.

“You just don’t hold someone back thinking that something may happen; you’ve gotta be confident enough to run with it.”

Dolphins playmaker Isaiya Katoa is in the NSW camp and ready to cover Moses if needed.

Will Ponga keep his shoulder charge issue in check?

Ponga’s shoulder charge on NSW winger Tolu Koula in game one flipped the match on its head. The Blues almost certainly wouldn’t have won if Ponga hadn’t been sent off.

Concerningly, the Maroons superstar again found himself in strife because of a shoulder charge when he hit Storm winger Will Warbrick on the weekend. He wasn’t sanctioned for the shoulder charge on Warbrick, but a worrying pattern has begun to emerge.

“I think there’s definitely some accountability on my end,” Ponga said on Tuesday.

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“It’s tough. It’s a position that happens in a split second and I’m running as fast as I can and someone else is running as fast as they can to a corner, so it’s not the most clear and easy thing to do.

“But I do acknowledge that I need to be better.”

Speaking on the Fox League broadcast when Ponga hit Warbrick, Panthers great Greg Alexander said: “Kalyn Ponga definitely has a technique problem with his tackling.”

Will Ponga keep his shoulder charge problem at bay? If not, at least the Maroons have a safety net of sorts, with Walsh to be deployed if a reshuffle is triggered.

Will the Blues target Walker?

Sam Walker is 78 kilograms wringing wet. He’s also got question marks over his defence.

Yet the Blues did an underwhelming job of targeting the halfback on his Origin debut in game one.

The Maroons rookie was one of the best on the park in Sydney, with his short and long kicking games controlling the match superbly and sparking his side.

How much traffic will be sent his way in Melbourne?

Will the Blues again be ambushed early?

Queensland ambushed NSW from the get-go in game one, exploding out to a 20-0 lead in the first 20 minutes.

For Blues fans, it was an agonising reminder of the Maroons’ blazing start to last year’s decider, in which Queensland took a 20-0 lead into half-time.

The Blues need to make sure when they get off the bus at the MCG next Wednesday night they take their heads with them.