Billy Slater opens up about his decision to join the Saints and what he will be doing at the club

HE has worked with some of the best leaders in sport, from Cam Smith and Craig Bellamy to Nick Maxwell. So what will Billy Slater bring to his new role at the Saints? Gilbert Gardiner spoke to the man himself.

Alan Richardson and Jack Steele with new leadership coach Billy Slater. Picture: Getty Images

NEW St Kilda leadership coach Billy Slater says not having an AFL background isn’t a barrier in him imparting skills and knowledge to the “young and exciting” Saints at Moorabbin.

Slater, who will begin a part-time role at the Saints in the preseason, has not ruled out helping with match day preparation either.

“I think early in the preseason I’ll probably be listening more than talking, working out what makes the St Kilda Football Club tick and just trying to impart some of the things I’ve picked up over my career, some of the standards, some of the leadership qualities I’ve been able to pick up and accumulate over 16 years in the NRL, if that helps this young and exciting group well then hopefully I can do that,” Slater said.

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“Around the specifics and skills of the game are different but at the end of the day we’re a team trying to strive for one goal and we all want to pull in that one direction, that’s rugby league, that’s AFL, it’s soccer, rugby union, it’s all the same, it’s about a group of guys trying to work hard, be selfless, I don’t think that changes just because it’s a different code the theories around it are the same.

“I’ve focused on living and breathing this (elite sport) for the past 16-20 years, now it’s about trying to pass that on to other people and help them build their careers.

Billy Slater has joined the Saints in a leadership role. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m not here to just be firm and this is my way, I’ll learn along the way as well.”

The Saints approached Slater about the position shortly after he announced his NRL retirement.

The Melbourne Storm legend met with Saints football director Simon Lethlean in the days following the NRL grand final to talk terms.

“Everyone here at the St Kilda Football Club is striving to be successful in 2019 and I’m just here to contribute to that,” Slater said.

“The specifics of my role haven’t really been determined, yes it’s around leadership, yes it’s around high standards at training and in games, professionalism, but whether I attend games and get in the nitty gritty of preparing for the game, look I don’t understand AFL and I don’t come here as a specialist AFL coach, hopefully I just input in what I know and what I’ve experienced in my career.”

Slater has had brilliant leadership mentors over the journey, including Storm coach Craig Bellamy, captain Cameron Smith and Collingwood premiership captain Nick Maxwell, who built a similar leadership program at the Storm and then at the Magpies last season.

Billy Slater playing some AFL while at the Storm.

“Maxy’s been great for us at the Melbourne Storm, just creating an environment that we can get the best out of ourselves, helping to develop leaders and better leaders, helping develop emerging leaders into leaders and obviously younger players, first and second year players, just building that consistency around their game,” Slater said.

“Nick Maxwell has done a fantastic job at Collingwood and the Melbourne Storm and the results were shown in 2018.

“I think the first thing for any good leader, you need to be hard working, probably the hardest working in the organisation, and you got to be consistent.

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“They’re the two qualities I always try to uphold. My performance was No. 1 and then to be approachable and help out the other guys was secondary, but first and foremost to be a good leader you need to be

playing good and playing consistently.

“I think I’ve got something to add to this organisation and it’s certainly a challenge, this is new to me.”