Billy Slater facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Billy Slater

Slater playing for the Melbourne Storm in 2008
Personal information
Full name	William Slater
Born	(1983-06-18) 18 June 1983 (age 42) Nambour, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	88 kg (194 lb; 13 st 12 lb)
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2003–18 Melbourne Storm 323 191 0 0 764 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2004–18 Queensland 31 12 0 0 48 2008–17 Australia 30 27 0 0 108
Coaching information
Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 2022– Queensland 12 7 0 5 58

William Slater (born 18 June 1983) is a famous Australian former professional rugby league player. He played during the 2000s and 2010s. Billy Slater is now the coach for the Queensland Maroons. He led them to big wins in the 2022, 2023, and 2025 State of Origin series competitions. Many people think he is the best fullback ever in rugby league. He was known for seeing the game really well and scoring lots of tries.

Billy played for the Australian national team and was once captain of the Queensland State of Origin team. He played his whole club career for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL). With the Storm, he played in seven NRL Grand Finals. He also holds the record for the most tries scored for the club and the most tries by a fullback in the NRL.

Slater scored 190 tries in the NRL for the Melbourne Storm. This is the third highest in Australian top-level rugby league history. He won two premierships (championships), the Clive Churchill Medal twice, and the Dally M Medal with the Storm. With the Kangaroos, he was the top try-scorer and best player at the 2008 World Cup. He also won the Golden Boot Award in 2008, which is given to the world's best player. Billy Slater also won the TV show Australia's Greatest Athlete in 2009 and 2010.

Early Life and Start in Rugby

Billy Slater was born in Nambour, Queensland, Australia, on 18 June 1983. He started playing rugby league for the Brothers club in Innisfail, Queensland. Growing up, he was a fan of the North Queensland Cowboys. However, he never played for their representative teams. When he was sixteen, Billy left Innisfail State High School. He decided to follow his love for thoroughbred racing. He first worked in Sydney for six months, helping racehorse trainer Gai Waterhouse.

Playing for the Melbourne Storm

Starting His NRL Journey (2003)

Billy Slater began playing for the Melbourne Storm in 2003. In his first NRL game, he played for the Storm against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. He started on the wing and scored a try in Melbourne's 36–32 win. In his next game, he played fullback for the first time and scored two tries.

For a few games, he played in the centre position. But then he moved back to fullback for the rest of the year. Billy had an amazing first season. He was the Storm's top try scorer in 2003 NRL season with 19 tries in 26 games. He was also named Dally M Rookie of the Year.

Queensland Debut and Success (2004-2005)

In 2004, Billy played his first game for Queensland in the 2004 State of Origin series. He scored two tries in Game Two and was named man of the match. One of his tries was a famous individual effort. He kicked the ball over the opposing fullback, caught it, and scored. Queensland won that game.

He played 22 games and scored 14 tries for the Storm in 2004. He was chosen for the Kangaroo squad to tour Europe, but an injury stopped him. In 2005, Billy continued to play well. He was again chosen for the Queensland State of Origin team at fullback. He scored a long-distance try in Game Two. He was the top try scorer in the NRL in 2005 with 20 tries in 21 games for the Storm.

Tough Times and First Grand Final (2006)

The 2006 season was harder for Billy. He was suspended for seven games for kicking an opponent. Injuries and more suspensions kept him out of the Queensland team. His coach, Craig Bellamy, even sent him to play for feeder clubs to get back into form.

Billy returned to the Storm's main team later in the season. The Storm won the minor premiership (finished first in the regular season). A few weeks later, they played the Brisbane Broncos in the 2006 NRL Grand Final. It was Billy's first Grand Final, but the Storm lost 15–8. He played 15 games and scored 5 tries in 2006.

Premiership Win (2007)

Billy had a quiet start to 2007. He broke his cheekbone in Round 8. When he returned from injury, he scored 8 tries in 9 games. He became a very important player for the Storm, helping to set up over 20 tries. In Round 21, he played his 100th NRL game.

Billy was part of the Melbourne Storm team that won the 2007 NRL Grand Final. They beat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 34–8. However, this win was later taken away because the club had broken rules about how much money they could spend on players. He played 23 games and scored 12 tries in 2007. He won the Storm's Back of the Year Award.

World's Best Player (2008)

Billy started 2008 incredibly well, scoring many tries. Experts like Laurie Daley and Andrew Johns called him the best player in the game. His great form led to him being chosen as fullback for the Australian national team. He also played for Queensland in the 2008 State of Origin series. He helped Queensland win the series, which was his first Origin series win.

Slater playing for the Storm in August 2008.

In August 2008, Billy was named in the Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He just missed out on winning the Dally M Medal, finishing very close behind. After playing in the 2008 NRL Grand Final (which the Storm lost), he was named the Melbourne Storm's Player of the Year. Billy played 24 games and scored 14 tries in 2008.

He had an amazing year, winning the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award as the best player in the world. He also won the Rugby League International Federation's International Player of the Year award. In the 2008 World Cup, Billy played fullback for Australia. He scored three tries in games against England and Fiji. He was named Player of the Tournament even though Australia lost the final to New Zealand. He was also the top try-scorer in the competition with 7 tries.

More Grand Final Appearances (2009-2010)

In 2009, Billy played for Australia in the 2009 Anzac Test and for Queensland in the 2009 State of Origin series. He helped Queensland win the Origin series again. In Round 22, he played his 150th NRL game. He scored four tries in a finals game against Manly, earning him man of the match. He also scored his 100th NRL try.

Slater after the 2009 NRL Grand Final.

The Melbourne Storm won the 2009 NRL Grand Final against the Parramatta Eels. Billy scored a try and was named the best player on the field, winning the Clive Churchill Medal. However, this premiership was also later taken away due to the club's salary cap issues. He was the Storm's top try-scorer in 2009 with 18 tries in 26 games. He was named Melbourne's Player of the Year for the second year in a row. He also played for Australia in the 2009 Rugby League Four Nations tournament, scoring three tries in the final.

Slater playing for Melbourne

In 2010, Billy played for Australia and was part of Queensland's 3–0 series win in the 2010 State of Origin series. He won the Wally Lewis Medal for the best player of the series. In one game, he saved a try and then scored the winning try with five minutes left. The Storm had a tough year in 2010 because they were stripped of all their points due to the salary cap breach. Billy played 22 games and scored 10 tries. He also played for Australia in the 2010 Rugby League Four Nations squad.

Dally M Medal Winner (2011)

In 2011, Billy broke the record for the most tries scored for Melbourne Storm with 114 tries. He played for Australia in the 2011 Anzac Test, scoring two tries. He also played in all three 2011 State of Origin matches for Queensland, helping them win the series. In Round 24, he played his 200th NRL game.

The Melbourne Storm won the minor premiership, but they lost in the Preliminary Final. Billy was awarded the 2011 Dally M Medal for the best player of the year in the NRL. After playing 24 games, he was the Storm's joint top try-scorer with 12 tries. He was also named the Rugby League International Federation's International Player of the Year for the second time.

Another Premiership Victory (2012)

Billy started 2012 by scoring 9 tries in his first 5 games. He played fullback for Australia in the 2012 Anzac Test. He was also Queensland's fullback for the first two games of the 2012 State of Origin series, helping the Maroons extend their winning streak to seven series.

He finished the 2012 NRL season with 16 tries in 21 games for the Storm. He became the highest try-scoring fullback in the NRL with 140 tries. Billy scored a try in Melbourne's 14–4 premiership victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He also played for Australia against New Zealand in October.

World Cup Champion (2013)

In 2013, Billy scored the first try in Melbourne's 2013 World Club Challenge win over Leeds Rhinos. He played fullback for Australia in the 2013 Anzac Test. He played all three games of the 2013 State of Origin series, helping Queensland win their eighth straight series.

In Round 21, Billy became the 8th player in history to score 150 tries. He scored 2 tries in the Storm's big 68–4 win. He was the Storm's top try-scorer in 2013 with 18 tries in 24 games. He was chosen for the Australian squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. Australia won the Final against New Zealand, and Billy scored 2 tries in that game. He played 4 matches and scored 4 tries in the tournament.

Milestones and Injuries (2014-2016)

In 2014, Billy reached a big milestone, playing his 250th game for Melbourne Storm. He played for Australia in the 2014 Anzac Test. He played all three games of the 2014 State of Origin series, which Queensland lost for the first time since 2005. He also passed Andrew Ettingshausen's try-scoring record, becoming third in the highest try-scorer ranks. He played 22 games and scored 12 tries for the Storm in 2014.

In 2015, Billy suffered a shoulder injury early in the season. This caused him to miss games, including the Kangaroos' ANZAC Test. He returned to play for Queensland in Game 1 and Game 2 of the 2015 State of Origin series. However, his shoulder injury got worse, and he had surgery, missing the rest of the 2015 NRL season. He only played 7 games and scored 2 tries that year.

In 2016, Billy played in Round 1 but then had another shoulder injury that ruled him out for the entire season. This led to many people wondering if he would play again. While he was injured, he worked as a consultant for the new Queensland coach, Kevin Walters, helping with the team's backs. He missed the Storm's Grand Final and Australia's Four Nations campaign. At the end of 2016, he received an award for his help with the Queensland coaching.

Return to Glory (2017)

Billy made his return to playing in Round 3 of the 2017 season. He started from the bench and played for 52 minutes. The next week, he played a full 80 minutes at fullback. In Round 9, he scored two tries, breaking a long try-scoring drought.

Even though he was playing well, he was not chosen for the Australian Kangaroos Test Squad. After Queensland lost Game 1 of the Origin series, Billy was called back to the Queensland squad for Game 2. He played an outstanding game, setting up two tries and helping Queensland win. He continued his great form in Game 3, helping Queensland win the series.

Billy played a key role in the Storm's finals run. He scored his 180th NRL try, moving him up the all-time try-scoring list. He then scored two more tries in the Grand Final qualifier, moving past Steve Menzies to become the second-highest try-scorer in the game's history.

On 27 September, Billy was awarded the Fullback of the Year Award at the NRL Dally M Awards. He played an amazing game in the 2017 NRL Grand Final, leading the Melbourne Storm to win the 2017 NRL Premiership. He received the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player on the field. After the Grand Final, he was named in the Australian Test Squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. He also signed a new contract to play for the Storm in 2018.

Playing for Australia in the World Cup, Billy scored a try and was named man of the match against England. He broke the record for the most tries scored in Rugby League World Cup history, scoring his 16th World Cup try. He helped Australia win the World Cup Grand Final against England.

Retirement (2018)

Billy started 2018 by playing his 300th NRL game in Round 2. In a Round 6 game, he was criticized for how he fell after a tackle, which led to an opponent being sent off. He also captained the Melbourne Storm for the first time when Cameron Smith was suspended.

Billy announced that he would retire from representative football after the 2018 State of Origin series. He missed Game 1 of Origin due to injury. But he returned for Game 2, playing his 30th Origin game. He was named captain for Game 3, his final Origin game, and led Queensland to a victory. For his efforts, he received the Wally Lewis Medal for Player of the Series, even though he only played in two games.

On 8 August, Billy announced he would retire from the NRL at the end of the 2018 season. His final game was a Grand Final loss to the Sydney Roosters on 30 September 2018.

Life After Playing

After retiring, Billy Slater joined the Australian Football League (AFL) club St Kilda in a leadership role in October 2018. He also joined the Nine Network’s NRL commentary team in 2019. On 14 March 2019, the Melbourne Storm announced that the Northern Stand of AAMI Park would be renamed the Slater Stand in his honor. In August 2019, Billy was chosen as the fullback in the Queensland Maroons team of the decade.

Coaching Queensland

Billy was chosen as the Head Coach for the Queensland Maroons on 24 September 2021. He signed a two-year deal. He led the Queensland Maroons to a surprising series victory in the 2022 State of Origin series. He followed this up with another win in the 2023 State of Origin series. In September 2023, he signed a new three-year contract to continue coaching the team.

Hall of Fame

In August 2024, the National Rugby League announced that Billy Slater was inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame. He was given Hall of Fame number 122 and was one of eleven male players in the 2024 group.

Awards and Achievements

Personal Life

Billy Slater lives in Melbourne with his wife, Nicole Slater. They got married in Cairns in November 2009. They have two children, a daughter named Tyla Rose and a son named Jake.

Billy also took part in the TV show Australia's Greatest Athlete. He won both Season 1 and Season 2. He competed against many different athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Steve Hooker and V8 Supercar champions Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes.

Billy often helps out at the Canterbury Junior Football Club in Melbourne. He also spends time helping other junior sports programs around Australia.

See also

• List of players with 100 NRL tries