Queensland coach Billy Slater apologises to Paul Green’s wife over controversial press conference

In an extraordinary admission, Queensland coach Billy Slater has confirmed he made an apologetic phone call to the widow of the late Paul Green following his stunning Origin press conference.

• ‘Unnecessary’: Aaron Woods hits back at Slater’s remarks

Billy Slater’s future as Queensland coach has come under the microscope in the wake of his explosive war of words with former NSW prop Aaron Woods.

The build-up to State of Origin II in Perth was marred by a verbal spat between Woods and Slater that led to the Queensland mentor offering a public apology on match morning just hours before the Maroons ran onto Optus Stadium.

Labelled a “grub” by Woods, Slater hit back at the official press conference in Perth’s CBD on Tuesday, calling the attack “degrading” and questioning if the ex-NSW prop should resign as a commentator.

But Slater’s riposte was overshadowed by his reference to Queensland’s “last coach” Paul Green, suggesting his death in August 2022 may have been triggered by public criticism.

When Slater’s face and name appeared on the Optus big screen just before kick-off, the volume of boos from the crowd of 60,000 was telling — and louder than anything NSW superstar Latrell Mitchell and Maroons bad boy Ezra Mam copped.

Billy Slater referenced Paul Green’s death in an emotional press conference on Tuesday. Picture: Getty

On the day of his 42nd birthday, Slater took the extraordinary step of fronting the media at Queensland’s team hotel on game day to apologise to the Green family.

“Yesterday I wrongly made the link between Paul Green’s death and the stress and pressures of coaching, which wasn’t accurate and nor was it appropriate,’’ Slater said.

“I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to Amanda Green this morning and apologised for any hurt it may have caused her or her family.

“I just want to say this, Paul had CTE, that is a different disease to what I was referring to.

“I am deeply and genuinely sorry.’’

While the Green family accepted Slater’s apology, there is a view the Maroons legend is cracking under the strain of the Origin job in his fourth season in charge.

Slater started his Queensland coaching career with a bang, winning consecutive series in 2022-23, but he encountered adversity last year when Michael Maguire led the Blues to a 2-1 victory to reclaim the Origin shield.

Maguire got under Slater’s skin with his famous “glass houses” line.

It was a reference to Slater’s judiciary record as a player – he was once suspended for kicking John Skandalis in the head – after the Maroons coach slammed Blues player Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii for the high tackle on Reece Walsh that saw him sent off in Origin I last year.

Slater called and apologised to Amanda Green, widow of the late Paul Green.

Now Slater has found himself embroiled in another off-field verbal stoush that created ructions for the Maroons on game day and raised concerns over whether the coach was feeling the heat after three consecutive Origin losses.

NSW’s greatest coach, Phil Gould, joined the slew of opinions circling the game by claiming Slater shouldn’t have used the pre-match press conference to air his grievances.

Interviewed by Today show host Karl Stefanovic, Gould also took a shot at rugby league media.

“I’ve got a really long answer for and I have a short answer, and my short answer is I don’t think that’s the way you promote Origin,’’ Gould said.

“I don’t think it was needed.”

Slater inked a three-year extension with the Queensland Rugby League in 2023, securing him to the Maroons until the end of 2026, but the 31-game Origin icon may weigh up his future at the end of this series.

Historically, Queensland coaches do not survive back-to-back series collapses.

Five mentors have severed ties with the Maroons after consecutive series setbacks, including Wally Lewis (1993-94), Mark Murray (1999-2000), Michael Hagan (2004-05) and Kevin Walters (2018-19).

Even the legendary Paul Vautin, who inspired an epic 3-0 win with his ‘Neville Nobodies’ heroes of 1995, tendered his resignation after NSW hit back with series wins in 1996-97.

The QRL arguably needs Slater more than he needs the Maroons job. The father of two has a gruelling schedule, juggling the demands of coaching State of Origin with family, media and horse-breeding commitments.

Triple M’s Aaron Woods on Wednesday.

Will the ferocious media fallout convince Slater to pull the pin? Just days before the drama unfolded, QRL boss Ben Ikin was adamant Slater would be in charge of the Maroons in 2026.

“Billy has a three-year contract and he will be coaching the Maroons next year because he is contracted to coach the Maroons next year,” Ikin said.

“I spent time with Billy at the fan day in Gympie (last Tuesday) and he is locked in.

“He has made some courageous decisions (with his Origin II selections) but he believes in them and he believes in this team.

“He leaves no stone unturned in how he selects that team, how he prepares that team and that is evident with anyone who spends time around him.

“He is very committed to the job.”

Slater found an ally in his former Queensland Origin coach Meninga, who said the code’s greatest ever fullback didn’t deserve to be disrespected by Woods.

“I know what Billy is getting at,” Meninga said on radio SEN.

“It was a personal attack by ‘Woodsy’ … Billy played with Woodsy in the Australian team on tours and things like that.

Phil Gould also weighed in on the drama.

“I get it. I understand it. There is a responsibility (as a media commentator).

“(But) to call someone a grub is a personal attack, it’s an attack on him as an individual and I don’t agree with it.

“I’m in Billy’s boat here.”

Slater wasn’t the only target for Woods, who also took aim at Triple M stablemate Gorden Tallis after the former Queensland enforcer was critical of his comments.

“He wasn’t that brave when he was a player, he’s braver on the mic,” Tallis said of Woods. Woods took exception to Tallis saying that his son had taken a recent photo with Slater.

“When your spokesman is Gorden Tallis that’s when you know you’re in trouble,” Woods said on his Triple M breakfast show on Wednesday morning alongside Beau Ryan and Cat Lynch. He said my son got a photo with Billy Slater. My son doesn’t know who Billy Slater is.

“If you’re going to get your information correct – maybe say the right stuff We don’t call him the raging bull in our house any more – it is the raging something else.”