Proud dad is all smiles as Billy retires in style
BILLY Slater’s dad was back in the comfort of the Garradunga Hotel while his son made his final glorious State of Origin appearance.
Ron Slater, once a hard-asnails league man in his own right, opted to stay around Innisfail rather than fight the crowds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
“I didn’t go down, his mum did though,” he explained.
“I can see a lot more on TV, and he can have the limelight. But he rang me after the game.”
It was an emotional phone call for both, and Ron’s pride was unmistakeable in a photo taken over the bar right as the final whistle blew on his boy’s outstanding Origin career.
A day earlier, another Origin great produced by Innisfail told the Cairns Post about his memories of being coached by Ron right when he was on the cusp of NRL greatness.
Kerry Boustead, scorer of Queensland’s first ever Origin try, said he could see a lot of the father in the son.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for the family,” he said. “His dad was my captain-coach for Souths when I was in Innisfail.
“It was my only year in seniors before I packed up and left.
“He was a hard man, and the whole lot of them are a good footballing family.”
Ron reminisced about the Cassowary Coast’s incredible rugby league factory producing such greats as Trevor McDonald and Angelo Crema.
“I coached Kerry, and I was coached by Lionel Williamson, would you believe that?” he said.
“Lionel coached me in Under 15s, and I coached Kerry when he was 18.
“Then along comes Billy, another bloody winger, another flyer – three flyers they were.”
Billy is not expected back in the Far North anytime soon and will focus on the rest of the season with Melbourne and daily life with wife Nicole and children Tyla Rose and Jake.