Tough and versatile forwards Kurt Mann and Max Plath have emerged as Queensland bolters with coach Billy Slater confirming the duo are in the State of Origin selection conversation.
Canterbury warhorse Mann, 32, and 23-year-old Dolphins lock Plath, yet to play Origin, are both best at home as middle forwards but can also slot into a wide variety of positions that make them valuable utility assets.
“Anyone that watches those two guys closely would identify they are building habits in their game that are Origin worthy,” Slater told AAP.
“Whether the opportunity gets presented to them is another thing but they are certainly saying to their Queensland teammates, ‘hey, if I am in a Queensland jersey I won’t let you down’.
“They have got great traits in their game and they have been consistent with those traits over a fair period of time.
“First and foremost they are very accomplished players in their preferred positions, and they have versatility. I definitely hold those two guys in high regard.”
As he aims to reverse last year’s series loss, when Slater pulls together his team for the Origin opener in Brisbane on May 28 he will consider all different scenarios that may arise.
That was never more evident than when Queensland lost winger Selwyn Cobbo and prop Lindsay Collins to concussion in the opening minutes of the 2022 decider, won by the Maroons.
“Players that have been able to adapt to change on the run, play longer minutes and fill in positions they didn’t think they were going to play … they are the ones that thrive in that Origin environment,” Slater said.
“When the team needs them they step up and give it everything they’ve got.
Slater played in Mann’s debut NRL game for Melbourne when he won with a try from a cross-field kick by Cooper Cronk while playing as a centre. It was there Slater realised he was a tough footballer with a team-first mentality.
“Kurt is in great form and is a big reason why the Bulldogs are on top of the ladder,” Slater said.
“He is playing in his best position in the middle of the field as a small forward and adds a point of difference when he comes on the field.
Max Plath. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“He is a very capable ball player which allows his halves to play a little bit wider and frees them up. He has great footwork and I know from my days playing with him that he’s a tough bugger.
“Kurt might get that from growing up with an older brother in Winton in the middle of Queensland. I dare say the fields out they are unforgiving. I imagine that’s a part of his upbringing.”
Plath was Dolphins player of the year in 2024 playing lock and hooker. He can also slot into the halves or back row. He plays with toughness and is a footballer who will do whatever he is asked.
“Max is a bit like his captain at the Dolphins,” Slater said.
“I think he has got a great role model in Tom Gilbert. They are cut from the same cloth as real team-first players that set the standards.
“He is a guy that has been doing all the little things and team things well since he came into first grade.”
While half/hooker Ben Hunt has been a long-term No.14, the Maroons coach knows he must be prepared for anything.
“You have got make sure you have got coverage for any situation and thinking ahead with contingencies in place so you have got all bases covered,” he said.
© AAP
