Billy’s backing a quick injury return
BILLY Slater is confident of a quick return from a shoulder “niggle” after injury ruled the Melbourne Storm fullback out of Saturday’s Round 1 clash at Perth Stadium.
Slater pulled up sore after full contact training on Friday.
The 34-year-old jarred his troublesome left shoulder in the World Club Challenge win against Leeds on February 16.
Residual soreness forced the veteran, who missed 18 months of football after back- to-back shoulder reconstructions, to miss the Cameron Smith-Johnathan Thurston testimonial game in Brisbane the following week.
Slater was in good spirits yesterday despite the setback. “It’s going all right,” he said. “I got back into a bit of contact last Friday. It was pretty much an open contact session, which was good I got through that, (but) still got a little bit of a niggle in it.”
Slater was set to play his 300th NRL game on Saturday.
His absence opens the door for utility Ryley Jacks to step in at five-eighth with Cameron
BILLY SLATER
Munster shifting to against Canterbury.
Jahrome Hughes (shoulder) fullback would have replaced Slater had he not been injured in the testimonial game against North Queensland.
Storm halfback Brodie Croft said whoever was “next man up” would fill the void.
“We got a fair few options to come into the side and be that next man up for us,” Croft said.
“We got such a high calibre of players in our team already that we’ll do everything we can to cover (Slater).
“He’s a big loss, don’t get me wrong. We’ll do everything we can to cover it.”
IT WAS PRETTY MUCH AN OPEN CONTACT SESSION, WHICH WAS GOOD I GOT THROUGH THAT, (BUT) STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A NIGGLE IN IT