'Pretty humbling': Billy Slater reflects on hall of fame honour
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Let's bring in Billy Slater, the Queensland legend rugby league commentator these days with Nines Wide World of Sports. He's on the line. Hello, Billy. Hey, Levi. How are you, mate? Mate, very well. Firstly, can we start off by congratulating you on being inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame? What an honour, mate. How do you feel? Yeah, obviously pretty honoured, to be honest. Yeah, obviously grew up with this game in a rugby league area, rugby league family and

And, you know, it's just a way of life for myself. Started playing when I was four years old. So, you know, to be acknowledged in this sort of fashion is something that's pretty humbling. And, you know, not just for myself, but for my family and, you know, my junior coaches and everyone that's been involved in my career. Got a couple of guys in the studio that I've played alongside that,

played parts in my career as well. So, yeah, no, it's an acknowledgement for a lot of people, but, yeah, just some healthy company there as well. Just before the boys jump in, I'm sure a lot of our listeners would love to know, you know, throughout that decorated career, having won premierships, represented your state, represented your country, you're now coaching your state as well. What's been the career highlight for Billy Slater throughout that magnificent career? Yeah.

Yeah, good question, to be honest. I've been fortunate to be in a lot of good teams and with a lot of good guys and a lot of good players. I don't think I can go past my debut game. I just think it was a moment in my career that I just felt like a lot of hard work had come off and it was a

childhood dream to be an NRL player it's all I wanted to be when I was a young kid and um to run out with an NRL jersey on uh for the Melbourne Storm and uh playing the NRL was probably a moment that um I always hold up there as one of the highest honours that I've had and obviously went on to achieve some other great things in some great teams but um

Yeah, I just think that moment of playing in the NRL was pretty satisfying. Good on you, mate. Well, congratulations on behalf of everyone in rugby league. You brought us so much joy watching you as a rugby league player and thankfully now we get to see you and hear your expert opinions on Channel 9 and of course on the...

the Billy Slater podcast. Now, you're on deck tonight from the studio for the game at Campbelltown between the West Tigers and South Sydney. I guess for these two teams, it's all about salvaging some pride in the games remaining in the regular season, Bill.

Yeah, although there's nothing on offer in September for these two teams, I think it could be a pretty entertaining game, to be honest, both like using the football. And I think, you know, I think we'll see the best of both teams offensively. You know, defence has always been an issue for these two teams in 2024. So I think there could be some entertaining footy being played tonight.

Mate, any of these blokes really take your eye in these battling clubs? Like the young blokes who have come in, has any of them really impressed you?

Yeah, I think the guy that's come in for Latrell Mitchell, big man, has certainly been impressive. Jai Gray, he's only small in stature, but he's got a whole heap of courage. And, you know, sometimes those smaller guys are harder to handle. They're built low to the ground and they've got a lot of speed. And with the fatigue in the game at the moment, it certainly suits those guys. So, yeah.

I'll be keeping an eye on young Jai Gray tonight. Bill, Dream Buller, unfortunately, has been ruled out for the Tigers. But lucky gal, mate. 19 years of age. He's been a star this year. He's been one of the best players for the Tigers. He's got a big future.

He's been consistent for a young man, hasn't he, Gal? And I just, yeah, that's something to admire with a young guy, you know, coming into a struggling team that hasn't been consistent. He's been quite consistent. You know, for a young guy, I think always the physical side of the game is always a challenge, but he seems to handle that

really well and I think he's going to grow into probably a guy that plays in the middle of the field, maybe like a ball playing lock or something like that later in his career but doing a great job and I think the Tigers can really build around him. Bill, it's good to see you. Reminds me a little bit of say a Wade Graham where he started off in the halves as a young 18, 19 year old and just grew into his body and ended up in a pretty good

Yeah, I think he's going to be a little bit taller than Wado as well. So, yeah, no, he's going to be quite the size when he physically fills out and matures. But as long as he keeps those ball skills. And the other thing he's got is he's got a good understanding of the game. He knows when to put a kick in. He knows how to measure it. And, you know, he seems to have that calmness in and around that position as well.

All right, fantastic. Well, Billy, you'll be on Nine's Wide World of Sports tonight covering it all. And I look forward to joining you for the podcast next week, mate. Go well. And again, congratulations on being inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Thanks.

Thanks, gents. Have a good Arvo. Good on you, bud. There he is, Billy Slater, nine commentator, NRL legend and Rugby League Hall of Famer. It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it? And he thoroughly deserves it. One of the greatest fullbacks to ever play the game. Brilliant. When he first started, I remember looking at him, I thought, he looks a bit small, this bloke. But, my God. You know, particularly, I suppose on the back of everyone saying he was a track work rider, you know, for wherever. But then, once he started playing, you watched him and thought, oh.

He can play this bloke. He was fast. He had everything, didn't he? He had everything. Boy, I've sort of got to know him a bit working with him the last couple of years on radio and doing the podcast with him. I've never met somebody sort of post-football to put so much work into what he does. Like, he's meticulous in everything he does. And a few people have said he was like that as a player as well. Is that your experience with him?

Yeah, definitely. I think his preparation too and just his knowledge and IQ of the game was second to none. I had a bit to do with him there in the Australian camp and

Just to see him around, obviously, guys like Cameron Smith, Thurston, but he was the one taking charge the most, I reckon, in team meetings. And just his knowledge around the game plan and he'd know his role, but he would know everyone else on the field's role and, you know, pointing you in a direction where you needed to be. Like, he's doing your job for you. But the one thing, the biggest wrap for Billy for me is just his consistency over his career.

his best game to his worst game would have probably been a couple of percent in it. And that's, that's amazing. There's good players that can play, you know, three or four games and then have one or two, but they're great players. They just don't know how to have a bad game. And he was one of those guys. And I suppose that makes him, you know, 300 plus first grade games. And,

name a bad one he played, you know, it'd be hard to find. And, Gal, when it comes to Bill, I mean, that's why a lot of people now love listening to his opinions on the game because he's got a great rugby league mind given he played in a vital position in not only the NRL but for Queensland and for his country. Yeah, he was... I think probably Anthony Minichiello started the way the fullbacks play these days, but Billy Slater mastered it and was the best, probably the best by far, I'd say. He was...

A brilliant player and a boy he summed it up. His preparation, I've never seen someone prepare better for a game of football or anything, even at Channel 9. He's got notes made up. As a coach, it did not surprise me at all. He's done well at coaching. He was, as I said, chemistry is the best player I've played with or against, but Billy Slater's not far off that. He's right there.