See that, footy clubs? See how Mal Meninga got on the front foot, phoned Sam Thaiday, admitted he made a mistake and then took calls early on Wednesday morning from the media to tell everyone that it had all been an innocent oversight and he felt horrible about it?

That's how you handle a crisis, big or small.

Thaiday ripped into his former Queensland coach on Instagram on Tuesday night because he hadn't received a phone call telling him he had been overlooked for the Kangaroos' World Cup squad.

So wrote Big Sammy: "A bit of respect would've been nice ... to at least receive a phone call and learn about selection that way instead of through a leaked report from the media on last night's news. After dedicating more than 10 years wearing the Maroon and Green and Gold jersey, you'd expect to be treated with a bit more decency and respect. I guess not."