With Johnathan Thurston suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, Munster was called in to play five-eighth alongside Cooper Cronk and the combination of the trio and hooker Cameron Smith may have provided a template for the Kangaroos.
All four were outstanding in Queensland’s 22-6 win, with Smith running 106 metres from dummy half, Cronk creating a brilliant try with a cross-field kick into the hands of Valentine Holmes, Munster laying on the winger’s other two tries and Slater making two line breaks.
Munster and player-of-the-series Dane Gagai are almost certain to make their Test debuts at the World Cup, while Slater is set to be recalled on the back of his Origin form.
“At the moment, after missing two seasons, I'm really enjoying being back in this environment,” Slater said.
If the 24-man Australian squad was named now, it would almost certainly include every member of the Maroons backline on Wednesday night – Slater, Holmes, Will Chambers, Michael Morgan, Gagai, Munster and Cronk.
With the injured Darius Boyd a certain selection, NSW five-eighth James Maloney and the right edge pairing of centre Josh Dugan and winger Blake Ferguson are the only Blues backs likely to be in the squad.
In the forwards, Maroons prop Dylan Napa appears set to be the third Test rookie in the squad, while Josh McGuire could be forced to choose between Australia and Samoa after averaging 123 metres per match – the most by a Queensland forward.
David Klemmer (172m) and Boyd Cordner (151m) were the only NSW forwards to average more metres with the ball during the series.
The only forwards to average more than 100 metres were Blues props Aaron Woods (115m), Andrew Fifita (113m), Jake Trbojevic (111m), Queensland secondrower Gavin Cooper (111m) and Napa (105m).
Despite below par games in the series decider, Woods and Fifita are expected to be two of the five front rowers chosen by Meninga, along with Klemmer, Trbojevic and Napa.
Cordner and Queensland’s Matt Gillett are certain backrow selections, along with Tyson Frizell and Josh Papalii, leaving McGuire, Cooper, Josh Jackson, Wade Graham, Sam Thaiday and Trent Merrin to battle it out for the remaing two spots.
The other contentious position is Smith’s back-up as hooker, with NSW’s Nathan Peats and Sydney Roosters captain Jake Friend the most likely candidates unless Meninga decides to choose another utility such as Jack Bird instead.
Possible Australian Kangaroos Squad
Backs: Darius Boyd, Will Chambers, Cooper Cronk, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson, Dane Gagai, Valentine Holmes, James Maloney, Michael Morgan, Cameron Munster and Billy Slater.
Forwards: Boyd Cordner, Andrew Fifita, Tyson Frizell, Matt Gillett, David Klemmer, Josh McGuire, Dylan Napa, Josh Papalii, Nathan Peats, Cameron Smith, Sam Thaiday, Jake Trbojevic and Aaron Woods.
By Brad Walter | @BradWalterSport
Chief Correspondent, RLWC2017