‘I am as hungry as ever’: Maroons fullback Billy Slater considers future

BILLY Slater is poised to decide his NRL future, with the champion fullback leaning toward extending his glittering career with Melbourne and the Maroons.

Queensland fullback Billy Slater. Picture: Adam Head

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BILLY Slater is poised to decide his NRL future, with the champion fullback revealing he is leaning toward extending his glittering career with Melbourne and the Maroons.

The 34-year-old said he would make a definitive call before the NRL finals after playing a starring role in Queensland’s epic series defeat of the Blues in the Origin decider on Wednesday night.

Slater remains off-contract at season’s end but the Storm want him on deck for another year and have latitude in the salary cap to ensure he is not squeezed out for 2018.

Slater has taken a cautious approach in his comeback from a second shoulder reconstruction, but his form at club and Origin level is evidence he can handle a 16th season of NRL footy next year.

Billy Slater in action during the 2017 State of Origin decider. Picture: AAP

He accepted the time had come to finalise his future and admitted it would be hard to retire in the wake of Queensland’s Origin fightback.

“I’ll make a decision in the next month to six weeks,” he said. “I just wanted to get this Origin series out of the road.

‘‘We have the run to the finals now, we’ve put ourselves in a good position (at Melbourne), but it’s something I have to decide soon.

“I need to decide whether I can commit to another NRL season first.

“If I feel like I can put my body through that again and make a difference for the Storm, I will go around one more year.

“Then it’s a matter of whether I want to play in the Origin environment again and at the moment I really do.

“If I play again next year, I think I will put my hand up to play for Queensland.

‘‘It’s such a great feeling to know you have contributed to a series win., especially after I missed out last year (with injury).”

Slater raises the Origin shield at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Adam Head

The Innisfail flyer needs another 10 NRL matches to join the magical 300-game club and could surge past that milestone by playing beyond his 35th birthday.

He is one Origin game shy of joining Queensland’s famous 30-game Statesmen’s Club.

“It’s 100 per cent physical,” Slater said. “Mentally, you could sign me up for another three or four years.

“I am as hungry as ever and still want to compete and want to continue to get better as a footballer. That hasn’t diminished. I’m 35 next year, I’ve been through a fair bit injury wise and you can tell the difference in your recovery now, so it’s 100 per cent physical.

“To be honest, my shoulder is really good, it’s not even an issue anymore, it has continued to get better and better.

“It’s probably an all-round physical thing for me, whether I feel I can throw my body into another 26 rounds of NRL. It’s quite demanding and taxing.

“If I feel I can do that, I will put my hand up and go around again for the Melbourne Storm, but if not, I am content with (retirement) too.”

Slater was snubbed for Origin I, but insisted he never gave up hope of a Maroons recall.

“I never thought it was over for me,’’ he said.

‘‘I was really disappointed to miss Game One and I expressed that to Kevvie.

“I know what I can contribute to a football team and I felt like I was right to contribute to this team again.

“To get the call-up for Game Two, I was grateful and to be part of this series win, it’s up there with the greatest wins.

‘‘The feeling in the sheds was something I’ve missed over the last couple of years.”

Originally published as ‘I am as hungry as ever’: Maroons fullback Billy Slater considers future