State of Origin 2023: Billy Slater, Cameron Smith share 40th birthday in Camp Maroon

They’ve been inseparable through glittering careers on and off the field, but Billy Slater and Cameron Smith’s connection goes back further than you think.

Billy Slater and Cameron Smith have hit the Roaring Forties.

Queensland coach Slater and his trusted deputy Smith on Sunday enjoy a shared 40th birthday celebration ahead of State of Origin Game Two at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

In a remarkable quirk of fate, Slater and Smith met as aspiring NRL rookies at Queensland Cup side Norths Devils in the early 2000s, and soon realised they were born an hour apart on June 18, 1983.

During their 14-year reign as Queensland players, they not only combined for a total of 73 matches for the Maroons, Smith and Slater would get together for an annual birthday bash during Origin camps.

Now, as the dynamic duo in Queensland’s coaching unit, Slater and Smith hope to celebrate the big four-0 by leading the Maroons to another series victory over NSW at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

“I have a few more grey hairs these days,” Slater said with a laugh.

“We’re not planning anything too special. We’re keeping it low-key.

“The one thing that means a lot is I do get to share my birthday with a good mate in Cam.

“It’s certainly been a unique thing.

“For the last two decades, we have shared our birthdays in this Queensland Origin environment.”

Birthday boys Cameron Smith (left) and Billy Slater at Queensland State of Origin camp at Sanctuary Cove, Hope Island, on Saturday. Picture: Richard Walker

Slater said the timing of their births – in June smack bang in the middle of the Origin calendar – made their stints in the Queensland jumper more memorable.

“Our birthday usually sits during the second State of Origin camp,” the Maroons coach said.

“For half our lives, our birthday has been synonymous with State of Origin.

“I remember having my 21st birthday just after the second State of Origin in my first year.

“My second State of Origin series was in 2004 … now here we are nearly 20 years later and me and Cam are still in Queensland Origin camp.

“We were born an hour apart which is quite surreal.

“It’s great to share my birthday and the journey of life with a mate as good as Cam, I am pretty grateful for that.”

The Maroons will have a celebration for Smith and Slater before blowing out the candles and getting down to the serious business of finishing off the Blues.

An unassailable 2-0 series lead would be a fitting birthday present, and Slater lauded the peerless football brain of his assistant Smith, the most-capped player in Origin history with 42 appearances.

“It’s great having Cam beside me,” he said.

“He contributes to the team as much as anyone.

“It’s hard to go back and find the big highlights reel of Cam as a player, but no one had a bigger influence on a team than Cameron Smith.

“He just does things silently. He did it as a player and to a certain extent he does it as a coach.

“We’re very lucky to have him here… Cam is an integral part of what we do.”

Originally published as State of Origin 2023: Billy Slater, Cameron Smith share 40th birthday in Camp Maroon