Billy Slater Queensland's No.1? If he is, Kevin Walters should eat his hat. Because for all the tears and hand-wringing north of the border over a man who some argue is the best fullback to have played the game, he's not quite Queensland's real No.1. That's Cameron Smith.
But how can they possibly deny Slater the chance to wear the No.1 now? Dropped balls, shoddy passes, half gaps, a twisted leg ... and then bang. When it mattered most with the game on the line. A deft pass to set up the matchwinner. And a second coming in Queensland's maroon.
So while Slater might have already been fitted to return to the jersey he once made his own for State of Origin II, Smith still is the man NSW fear most as they stand on the cusp of blowing up Queensland's creaky Origin dynasty.
The Australian and Queensland captain didn't just slip into the Slater-Valentine Holmes spotlight in the grand final replay, he unceremoniously shoved them out of it for large parts and racked up 51 tackles before the Storm toppled nemesis Cronulla in another cliffhanger.
The Cooper Cronk-less Melbourne won 18-13 in a spiteful clash on Thursday night, Slater gifting Felise Kaufusi the sealer with six minutes left after Smith had put on the Storm's first two tries.
And provided a little reminder to NSW's Sharks quartet they shouldn't just fear the cavalry coming at ANZ Stadium, but rather who's been there along.
Slater will be thankful he made it to the full-time whistle after falling awkwardly in a tackle, ironically laid by Holmes who is also angling for a Queensland backline spot, behind his goalposts mid-way through the second half. He eventually limped back into the fray and back into Walters' wounded Maroons.
Holmes, you could argue, scored a slight points decision on the night, but it is unlikely to be enough to see him usurp Slater in the race to replace an out-of-sorts Justin O'Neill. Especially after Slater's late intervention following a mixed night settled the contest.
Sosaia Feki scored a controversial second half try, which wasn't referred to the NRL Bunker, in which replays seemed inconclusive in whether he grounded the ball.
It helped the Sharks trim an early Smith-inspired 12-point deficit as NSW's nemesis laid on the first two tries for the Storm, who remain on top of the table.
The Storm rested Cronk, but rolled out the red carpet for Smith's return. And why not?
After bashing and brawling with each other for more than 70 minutes before a try could be scored in the first grand final replay earlier this year, Smith needed all of three minutes to keep the scoreboard attendant happy this time. He ducked out of dummy-half, potted a 40-20 and a few plays later sent Kaufusi crashing over.
It was even easier when Tim Glasby bore down on Jayden Brailey five minutes later with Smith pulling the strings again.
But if ever there was a team that can scrap with Melbourne it was always going to be the Sharks. They dodged a couple of more bullets and then when a stray James Maloney pass hit the deck Clive Churchill medallist Luke Lewis jinked off the right foot twice to throw them a lifeline.
Feki fortuitously found the corner to bring them back within two points, a margin wiped out when Maloney potted a penalty goal inside the last quarter.
Maloney's snap field goal with eight minutes left lifted the Sharks to the lead for the first time, a lead which lasted all of one set.
After re-gathering the ball from a short kick-off, Slater sent Kaufusi into a yawning gap. And booked himself an Origin return.
Melbourne Storm 18 (Felise Kaufusi 2, Tim Glasby tries; Cameron Smith 3 goals) defeated Cronulla Sharks 13 (Luke Lewis, Sosaia Feki tries; James Maloney 2 goals, field goal) at Southern Cross Group Stadium. Referees: Matt Cecchin, Gavin Badger.
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