Slater out to keep playing next series
COMEBACK king Billy Slater has declared he has no plans to exit the Origin arena this year and will continue to fight for the Maroons No.1 jersey.
Slater made a triumphant return to the Origin fold following a two-year hiatus in Queensland’s epic Game Two win in Sydney on Wednesday night.
The Maroons custodian’s last Origin appearance was in the second game of 2015 before back-to-back shoulder reconstructions saw him miss the best part of two NRL seasons.
At 34, Slater showed the spark that has made him an Origin sensation when he played a key role in Queensland’s match-winning play for Dane Gagai to score and send the series to a decider.
With Johnathan Thurston to hang up his Maroon headgear after the July 12 Suncorp Stadium decider, and halfback Cooper Cronk to possibly follow suit, Queensland is facing a mass exodus of experience.
But Slater remains committed to the jersey after missing five-straight games with his shoulder problems and will not retire from the representative arena if he continues his NRL career in 2018.
“To be perfectly honest, I’ve really just enjoyed the start of this season and being back in this Maroons team,” he said.
“There is more chance than not that I will play on (for Melbourne) next year.
“I really enjoy playing for Queensland so I’d like to think if I do play on next year I will play for Queensland again next year.
“I just don’t know. Until I sit down and really nut out what I want to do next year and whether I can put 100 per cent into next year … I’ll make that decision in due course.
“At the moment I’m feeling really good. The body is in a really healthy spot.
“I’m enjoying my football and that’s why I went through all that hard work to get back.”
Slater was in tears following his triumphant return in a game which is being hailed one of Queensland’s greatest ever victories.
Thurston was the hero with his clutch conversion in the 18-16 victory but Slater’s speed allowed Michael Morgan and Gagai to orchestrate the cru- cial try. Slater’s non-selection in Game One was one of Queensland’s most controversial decisions as Maroons hierarchy opted to retain Darius Boyd in the No.1 jersey.
Slater was recalled after the 28-4 loss and he vindicated coach Kevin Walters’ call to bring him back for the mustwin clash in Sydney.
“My kids got it right when they had their posters up ‘Bring Back Slater’ through the lounge room,” Walters said.
“We had no choice but to bring him back in. I was never comfortable, to be honest, in Game One leaving him out. None of us were.
“Bringing him back in, you could feel the mood in the camp swing in a positive way.
“He’s a positive footballer.”