I probably could have played on, Billy says

“To be honest, I feel so good at the moment that I believe, physically, I could play on in 2019.

“As I weighed up my future, I consulted a few people. Craig was one of them.

“He told me he wanted me to go around next year. Craig said you should play until you can’t play no more.

“Craig played first grade himself and I guess his philosophy is that you are a longtime retired in this game.

“For a few months, I kept waiting for that little person to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I’m doing the wrong thing, that I shouldn’t be retiring.

“I explained to Craig what I was thinking and feeling. He probably didn’t look at it from my perspective, but in the end, he respected how I felt.

“Right now, I’m confident I’ve made the right decision.”

Bellamy believes Slater, for all his seasons of magical consistency, is now in career-best form at age 35.

Statistics support that critique, with Slater having averaged 105 running metres per game this season, plus 64 tackle busts, 11 line-breaks and 14 try assists.

Eager for Slater to soldier on in 2019, the Storm had freed-up funds under the salary cap, but the Test custodian said his post-football health was a factor.

“I had this fear about getting to the point where I was worried about putting my body on the line and wasn’t 100 per cent committed to being the best player I can be for the Storm,” he said.

“I’m 36 next year. I could have squeezed the lemon dry but I have a very active life away from football. I have two young children and it’s important I can be an active father to them.

“I didn’t want to get halfway through next year and have to finish the rest of the season knowing my body might be letting me down or I was losing that commitment.

“This year was actually a bonus for me.

“I could have easily retired last year.”