'He's a real warrior': Inside Slater's SOS call to Papa

Billy Slater is in no doubt he has made the right call coaxing Josh Papalii out of Origin retirement, saying the 33-year-old ‘still has that fire to play for this footy team’.

Papalii last played for the Maroons in Game Three, 2022, where Queensland claimed a 2-1 series win in Slater’s debut season as coach.

With the series on the line in Sydney and the Maroons still needing to lift despite earning a historic victory in Perth, Slater was glad his old friend felt he had some unfinished business to attend to.

“It's probably something that I've had in the back of my mind for a couple of years now, in particular this year, the way that Big Papa has been playing for Canberra and the performances he's been putting in," Slater said.

“I thought that this team could benefit from a bit of Josh Papalii.

“I was a little bit unsure of the response I'd get.

"I spoke to Papa a couple of days ago and the response was pretty much where my head was at, which was fantastic and it just shows you that he's still got that fire to play for this footy team, he's got that fire to represent the people of Queensland and he's got that fire to go out and do a good job for his state, so I was pleased to hear that.

“He's got an aura about him, he's a real warrior and has been for this footy team for a long time.

“What will give his teammates belief, is Big Papa going out there and doing his job. That's all he has to worry about. The rest will take care of itself.

“He's been doing that every week for Canberra and they're sitting on top of the ladder for a reason. Their whole team are doing a great job, but he's playing his part.”

While not quite the same as Wayne Bennett drafting in Allan Langer from the Super League on the other side of the world Game Three in 2001, it has still come as a shock, with Papalii making the call to retire from the Origin arena at the start of 2023 to concentrate on his football with Canberra.

With the Raiders sitting top of the ladder and the Maroons needing something extra for a tough encounter in Sydney, Slater said the time was right to bring him back.

“I just thought that he could add something to our footy team, so that was purely the decision around it,” Slater said.

“Like I said, I've never discarded it (calling him back). I've never put a line through it.

“Although he's retired, I always thought that he would love to come back for another game, and the opportunity has presented itself and I just feel it's the right time.”

It has been an eventful week in the Papalii household, with the arrival of a fourth child, welcomed into the world on Friday as Josh – with his wife Sepa’s blessing – was preparing to face Newcastle.

After the game, coach Ricky Stuart brought Papalii to the post-match press conference to laud the “unbelievable sacrifice” from the family to allow him to play.

Slater said Papalii – who made his Origin debut in 2013 – would be late into Maroons camp, which begins on today on the Sunshine Coast, in order to fulfil his fatherly duties before joining the rest of the squad.

“It's a great story. Big Papa and his and his wife Sepa, they had another boy over the weekend, and Papa's actually not going to enter camp today," Slater said.

“He's going to have a couple of days and make sure that his priority is being a dad for the next couple of days, and then, he'll come into camp in a couple of days' time and get after his preparation.

“It's one thing that we do, is make sure is that the families are looked after, Big Papa's family down in Canberra, he'll do that and make sure that's his priority, and then when he gets into camp, he'll be full steam ahead, so to speak.”

Slater, who also played Origin with Papalii before the now coach retired in 2018, said while Papalii didn’t talk too much, he would provide plenty of leadership on and off the field.

“He's a great man to start with. He's a very respectful man, and he doesn't say a lot, but his actions do the talking for him,” Slater said.

“I've played alongside the big fella. I've coached the big fella and I'm looking forward to seeing him again.

“He puts a smile on your face every time you talk to him on the phone and I sent him a text a couple of weeks ago.

“When he broke the all-time Canberra Raiders games record and it was great to reconnect with him there and the phone call over the weekend was just as good.

“I can't wait to see him.”

Other changes to the side see bolter Gehamat Shibasaki come into the side at centre after a remarkable season so far.

Of Torres Strait Islands and Japanese heritage, Shibasaki started the season on a train-and-replace deal before being upgraded into Brisbane's development squad and he has now featured in every game of the season, scoring 12 tries.

“I've always spoken about this footy team and the individuals in this team, you know, give our people inspiration and they inspire our state,” Slater said.

“Gehamat’s story is an inspiration, only six months ago he was on a train and trial contract at the Broncos, playing Queensland Cup up in Townsville, so I just think the rise of his game over the last six months has been exceptional.”

Dolphins flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow claimed the hotly contested fullback position, with Reece Walsh called in as 18th player, joining J’Maine Hopgood and Josh Kerr in the extended squad.