Storm keen to keep the Billy boiling

MELBOURNE have appealed for new Maroons captain Billy Slater not to quit the NRL and have hatched plans for the Queensland champion to suit up for a remarkable 17th season at the Storm next year.

D-Day is approaching for Slater, who will make a call on his NRL future after he leads the Maroons out in his 31st and final Origin match in Game Three next Wednesday.

Slater is leaning towards drawing the curtain on his decorated career but the Storm are refusing to give up hope after staving off a Broncos poaching bid to retain super coach Craig Bellamy.

The Storm have salary-cap space to accommodate Slater and will table a 12-month extension if the Maroons skipper decides his 35-year-old body can soldier on.

“We’re hoping he keeps his football boots on for a bit longer,” Storm football operations chief Frank Ponissi said.

“We won’t put pressure on Billy but there’s no doubt he is playing well enough to keep going for another 12 months.

“Billy is also outstanding for our young blokes. We have a Plan A in place for Billy to play on and we have a Plan B if he doesn’t play on.”