TEARS AND PRAISE AS CAREER ENDS
WHAT MADE HIM A GREAT PLAYER:
MELBOURNE Storm champion Billy Slater wanted to come to grips with retirement before making the decision public.
After staring down his football mortality, Slater, 35, who endured debilitating shoulder injuries two years ago, yesterday declared his 16th NRL season would be his last.
Slater sat on the decision for several weeks before telling premiership coach Craig Bellamy and Storm football manager Frank Ponissi last week.
“Two years ago ... I wasn’t ready to finish then, and looking at everything now... my body is still allowing me to play at this standard and I’m still willing to go out and put my body on the line.
“I would hate to get half way through the (next) year and lose that want to put my body on the line 100 per cent, I don’t want to empty the tank and then call it a day, I’d rather have a little bit in reserve.”
On top of a truckload of accolades, Slater has played a remarkable 313 NRL games and scored 187 tries – second highest of all time.
Innisfail’s favourite son, who also played 31 Origins and 30 Tests, went into the season thinking it would be his last despite a belief he could still perform at the highest level.
Bellamy, who declared Slater the greatest fullback he has seen, endorsed the decision.
“I’ve spoken to a few players that have retired … a lot of people asked ‘why shouldn’t I go on’, Billy was probably asking himself the question, ‘why should I go on?’
“I would have loved to see him go on but that’s probably selfish, to keep watching him play, to coach him and to keep doing what he does for our team,” Bellamy said.
“He’s made the right decision. The one thing about Bill, when he does make a decision he makes it work ... even if he makes the wrong decision, he’ll make it the right decision.”
Slater had served as inspiration for countless Far North Queensland rugby league stars, CDRL secretary Pat Bailey said.
“Billy didn’t shine that much as a junior,” Bailey said.
“I always tell young kids that they should never be discouraged, just look at Billy Slater. If you’re not identified as a 12-year-old you can still make it in the NRL.”
Former Northern Pride star Colin Wilkie spent four seasons contracted to the Melbourne Storm from 20022006. Wilkie said, even from a young age, Slater’s laconic Far North Queensland nature drew people to him.
“The minute I got to Melbourne he made sure I was all right,” he said. “He and his wife played a really big role in helping out one of my teammates. They would invite us over for barbecues and it was like North Queensland hospitality all the way down in Melbourne.
“He married a girl from home, is the face of Australian bananas and loves a day at the races. It doesn’t get more Queensland than that.”
Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy credited Slater with putting the club “on the map”.
HE MARRIED A GIRL FROM HOME, IS THE FACE OF AUSTRALIAN BANANAS AND LOVES A DAY AT THE RACES. IT DOESN’T GET MORE QUEENSLAND THAN THAT. FORMER TEAMMATE COLIN WILKIE