Billy Slater facts for kids
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Slater playing for the Melbourne Storm in 2008
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Personal information
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| Full name | William Slater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 June 1983 Nambour, Queensland, Australia |
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Playing information
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| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 88 kg (194 lb; 13 st 12 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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William "Billy" Slater (born 18 June 1983) is a famous Australian former professional rugby league player. He played as a fullback and is known as one of the greatest players of his time. Billy played his entire club career for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).
After retiring as a player, Billy became a successful coach. He is currently the head coach for the Queensland Maroons, leading them to victory in the State of Origin series in 2022 and 2023. He also won the Australia's Greatest Athlete TV show twice.
Contents
- Who is Billy Slater?
- Billy Slater's Amazing Playing Career
- Starting Strong in 2003
- State of Origin Debut in 2004
- Top Try Scorer in 2005
- Tough Times and Grand Final in 2006
- Premiership Win in 2007
- World's Best Player in 2008
- Another Grand Final Win in 2009
- Wally Lewis Medal in 2010
- Dally M Medal in 2011
- Premiership Victory in 2012
- World Cup Champion in 2013
- Milestones and Injuries in 2014-2016
- Grand Final Hero in 2017
- Retirement and Farewell in 2018
- What Has Billy Slater Done Since Retiring?
- Billy Slater's Achievements
- Billy Slater's Personal Life
- Images for kids
- See also
Who is Billy Slater?
Billy Slater was born in Nambour, Queensland, Australia, on 18 June 1983. He started playing rugby league for the Brothers club in Innisfail, Queensland. When he was 16, Billy left school to work with racehorses for a short time.
Billy Slater's Amazing Playing Career
Billy Slater's career was full of exciting moments and big wins. He played for the Melbourne Storm for 16 years.
Starting Strong in 2003
Billy joined the Melbourne Storm in 2003. He made his first-grade debut in Round 1, scoring a try. In his second game, he played as a fullback and scored two tries. Billy quickly became a key player, scoring 19 tries in his first season. He was even named the Dally M Rookie of the Year.
State of Origin Debut in 2004
In 2004, Billy played his first game for Queensland in the 2004 State of Origin series. He was named "Man of the Match" in Game Two, scoring two amazing tries. One of his tries, where he kicked the ball over an opponent and caught it again, is still remembered as one of the best. He scored 14 tries for the Storm that year.
Top Try Scorer in 2005
Billy continued to impress in 2005. He played for Queensland again, this time as a fullback. He scored 20 tries for the Storm, making him the top try scorer in the NRL that season.
Tough Times and Grand Final in 2006
The 2006 season was a bit tougher for Billy. He faced some suspensions due to on-field incidents. Despite this, he returned to play fullback for the Storm. The team reached the 2006 NRL Grand Final, but they lost to the Brisbane Broncos. Billy played in 15 matches and scored 5 tries.
Premiership Win in 2007
Billy had a strong comeback in 2007. After recovering from a cheekbone injury, he scored 8 tries in 9 games. He was a crucial part of the Storm's team that won the 2007 NRL Grand Final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. However, this premiership was later taken away due to issues with the club's salary cap. Billy played 23 matches and scored 12 tries.
World's Best Player in 2008
The 2008 season was incredible for Billy. He scored many tries early in the season and was praised as one of the best players in the game. He was selected to play for the Australian national team and helped Queensland win the 2008 State of Origin series.
Billy also played in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, scoring three tries in two different matches. Even though Australia lost the final, Billy was named the "Player of the Tournament." He also won the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award as the best player in the world! He scored 14 tries for the Storm this year.
Another Grand Final Win in 2009
Billy continued his amazing form in 2009. He helped Australia win the 2009 Anzac Test and Queensland win the 2009 State of Origin series. He scored his 100th NRL try, becoming only the second Storm player to do so.
The Melbourne Storm won the 2009 NRL Grand Final, and Billy was named the best player on the field, winning the Clive Churchill Medal. Like in 2007, this premiership was later taken away. He was the Storm's top try scorer with 18 tries in 26 matches.
Wally Lewis Medal in 2010
In 2010, Billy helped Australia win against New Zealand. He was also a big part of Queensland's clean sweep (winning all three games) in the 2010 State of Origin series. He won the Wally Lewis Medal as the best player of the series. He scored 10 tries in 22 matches for the Storm.
Dally M Medal in 2011
Billy broke the record for most tries scored for the Melbourne Storm in 2011. He played a key role in Australia's win over New Zealand in the 2011 Anzac Test. He also helped Queensland win the 2011 State of Origin series.
Billy played his 200th NRL career match in 2011. He won the prestigious Dally M Medal for the best and fairest player in the NRL. He was also named the International Player of the Year for the second time. He scored 12 tries in 24 matches.
Premiership Victory in 2012
Billy started 2012 by scoring 9 tries in his first 5 games. He played fullback for Australia and Queensland, helping the Maroons extend their winning streak in the State of Origin to seven series.
Billy scored a try in the Storm's 14–4 premiership victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. This was a big win for the team. He scored 16 tries in 21 matches, becoming the highest try-scoring fullback in NRL history at that time.
World Cup Champion in 2013
Billy continued to shine in 2013. He scored the first try in the Storm's 2013 World Club Challenge win. He played all three games of the 2013 State of Origin series, helping Queensland win their eighth straight series.
He also became the 8th player in history to score 150 NRL tries. Billy was part of the Australian squad that won the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, scoring two tries in the final. He scored 18 tries in 24 matches for the Storm.
Milestones and Injuries in 2014-2016
In 2014, Billy played his 250th game for the Melbourne Storm. He continued to play for Australia and Queensland. He also passed Andrew Ettingshausen's try-scoring record, becoming third in the all-time list. He scored 12 tries in 22 matches.
The 2015 and 2016 seasons were tough for Billy due to shoulder injuries. He played only a few games in 2015 (7 matches, 2 tries) and just one game in 2016. Despite his injuries, he still helped the Queensland team as a consultant during the 2016 State of Origin series.
Grand Final Hero in 2017
Billy made a fantastic return in 2017. He played consistently well and was recalled to the Queensland team for State of Origin Game 2. He helped Queensland win the series.
In the NRL finals, Billy played a huge part in the Storm's success. He scored tries that helped him become the second-highest try-scorer in the game's history. He won the "Fullback of the Year" award at the Dally M Awards.
Billy led the Melbourne Storm to win the 2017 NRL Grand Final, beating the North Queensland Cowboys. He received the Clive Churchill Medal again as the best player in the final. He also played a key role in Australia winning the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, breaking the all-time World Cup try-scoring record. He scored 11 tries in 21 matches for the Storm.
Retirement and Farewell in 2018
Billy started 2018 by playing his 300th NRL career game. He captained the Melbourne Storm for the first time. He announced that he would retire from representative football after the 2018 State of Origin series.
Despite an injury, Billy played in his 30th Origin game and was named captain for his final Origin match. He led Queensland to a victory and received the Wally Lewis Medal for Player of the Series, even though Queensland lost the overall series.
On 8 August, Billy announced his retirement from the NRL at the end of the 2018 season. His final game was the Grand Final, which the Storm lost to the Sydney Roosters. He scored 7 tries in 20 matches in his final season.
What Has Billy Slater Done Since Retiring?
After his playing career, Billy Slater has stayed involved in sports.
New Roles
In October 2018, Billy joined the Australian Football League (AFL) club St Kilda in a leadership role. He also became a rugby league commentator for the Nine Network in 2019. The Melbourne Storm even renamed a stand at AAMI Park to the "Slater Stand" in his honor. In August 2019, he 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 led them to surprising series victories in the 2022 State of Origin series and the 2023 State of Origin series. In September 2023, he signed a new contract to continue coaching the team for three more years.
Hall of Fame
In August 2024, Billy Slater was inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor, recognizing him as one of the greatest players in rugby league history.
Billy Slater's Achievements
Billy Slater has won many awards and titles throughout his career.
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Individual Awards
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Team Achievements
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Billy Slater's Personal Life
Billy Slater lives in Melbourne with his wife, Nicole, and their two children, Tyla Rose and Jake. He is also known for helping out with junior sports programs around Australia.
Images for kids
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Slater playing for the Melbourne Storm in 2008
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Slater whilst playing for Melbourne in 2007.
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Slater playing for the Storm in August 2008.
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Slater after playing for Australia in the 2008 World Cup final.
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Slater after the 2009 NRL Grand Final.
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Slater playing for Melbourne
See also
- List of players with 100 NRL tries
