Snubbed star's perfect reaction to Origin debacle

The flipside of the Ronaldo Mulitalo debacle was a sudden recall for Xavier Coates in Origin II – and the winger impressed Queensland selector Darren Lockyer.

Coates was a surprise axing after the Maroons were hammered 50-6 in Origin I. Recalled for Origin II on game day, after Mulitalo was deemed ineligible, the Brisbane Broncos flyer held his own in a 26-0 defeat at Suncorp Stadium

While there was little joy to be found anywhere for Queensland, Coates had a solid dig on just a few hours' notice, following a Brisbane training session. He may have edged himself back in front of fellow winger Kyle Feldt if someone it dropped for Origin III.

"I'll give Xavier a rap because he trained with the Broncos Sunday morning and then came in," Maroons great Lockyer said on Wide World of Sports' QLDER.

"He hadn't trained for basically a week because the Broncos had been given a week off. He swapped wings and I thought he held his own and he was good."

Lockyer said that Coates' positive response to his setback would hold him in good stead for the remainder of his career.

"When you're a young fella, when you get dropped from those rep teams, it's not easy but it's a challenge and it sort of defines you, how you react. I thought he reacted very well," Lockyer said.

Coates couldn't quite find the line, thanks to an all-time try-saver from Tom Trbojevic, and copped the first NSW try on his wing when Blues speedster Josh Addo-Carr capitalised on an overlap. But he couldn't be accused of not trying.

Queensland icon Wally Lewis lauded his whole-hearted attempt to run down Latrell Mitchell on a 90m intercept try in the first half. Coates was standing on the other side of the field yet almost caught the NSW centre, tackling Mitchell on the tryline.

"I've really enjoyed watching Xavier Coates play over the last couple of years," Lewis said.

"The thing that stood out to me most was when NSW broke away for a try, raced away and it was quite obvious that they were going to score. He put in a chase that not everybody would do. Chase him all the way.

"He's managed to do that previously for the Broncos, where he just refuses to give up in difficult situations. That's the sort of player that you love to have in the team with you, you know that he shows guts, he shows determination and he is never, ever beaten."

Lockyer wouldn't be drawn on who would play on the Queensland wings for Origin III, with the QRL trying to prove that Mulitalo is in fact eligible.

"We've still got just under two weeks, so we'll see what happens," he said.

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!