Firebrand federal MP Bob Katter says Billy Slater has been shafted by Queensland State of Origin selectors and incumbent fullback Darius Boyd wouldn't know a line break if he tripped over one.
In an extraordinary attack, Katter pledged to lodge an official complaint over Slater's omission from Origin I, which he said was clear evidence selectors were in the pocket of Brisbane.
Despite misspelling his name, the independent Queensland MP didn't miss in his assessment of Boyd's ability to break the defensive line.
"Darrius (sic) Boyd wouldn't know what a linebreak was, if he fell over it on a dark night," Katter said in a statement.
"We don't deny Darrius Boyd is a solid rock on which you can build an NRL team; however that is not needed at State of Origin level when you have arguably all-time great players such as Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.
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"The QLD selectors and coach clearly are in the pocket of the Broncos."
Brisbane mentor Wayne Bennett might disagree with Katter's conspiracy theory, given his reluctance to allow five-eighth Anthony Milford to link up with the Queensland camp if they weren't intending to play him.
Katter said less than one per cent of rugby league supporters would have picked Boyd ahead of Slater.
"It disheartens and disillusions people when cronyism prevails over fairness and talent," Katter said.
"Slater has been shafted - what the Broncos complained about the Sydney clubs for so many years now applies to them."
Katter signed off the stinging rant with some unusual Origin inspiration from Mike Brady's VFL-AFL anthem, Up There Cazaly.
"In the immortal words, (of) the great Cazaly, we say to Billy 'up there and at em, fly like an angel - the crowd's on your side'."
