Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Saturday, 18th June, 1983
- Current Age
- 40 years and 166 days
- Place Of Birth
- Nambour, Queensland, Australia
Awards & Accolades
- Peter Frilingos Memorial - Headline Moment of the Year
- 2004
- Dally M Fullback Of The Year
- 2008, 2011, 2017
- Golden Boot Award
- 2008
- RLIF Fullback Of The Year
- 2008, 2011
- RLIF Player Of The Year
- 2008, 2011
- RLW Player of the Year
- 2008
- Clive Churchill Medal
- 2009, 2017
- Dally M Representative Player Of The Year
- 2010
- Wally Lewis Medal
- 2010, 2018
- Dally M Player Of The Year
- 2011
- Ron McAuliffe Medal
- 2018
Biography
Exciting Queensland winger, originally from Innisfail, came to Sydney as a trackwork rider for leading horse trainer Gai Waterhouse before a growth spurt led him back to his first sporting vocation – rugby league. Slater drove to Melbourne in search of a trial with the Storm and played in every match of the 2003 season. Equally adept at fullback or centre, he scored 19 tries in his first season and would have been favourite to win the ‘Rookie of the Year’ Award had the ‘Dally M’ Awards not been cancelled because of the players’ dispute with the NRL. In 2004 Slater burst onto the representative scene with selection for the Queensland State of Origin team. In the second match of the series he scored one of the greatest tries in Origin history when he pounced on a Darren Lockyer kick, changed direction towards NSW fullback Anthony Minichiello and kicked the ball over his head, re-gathered and scored. It was a freakish effort by Slater, who celebrated his 21st birthday two nights after Queensland’s 22-18 win, and he cemented his place as one of the brightest prospects in the game with a spectacular 100m try against the Bulldogs three weeks later. However, a groin injury dimmed his considerable talents towards the end of the year and ruled out any chance of Australian Test selection. Slater represented the Maroons again in 2005 but injury, and a lengthy suspension for a high tackle in 2006, kept him out of the rep teams in Melbourne’s minor premiership-winning season.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Competitions | ||||||||||||||
| Competition | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL | 319 | 190 | - | - | 760 | 224 | 93 | 2 | 70.22% | List | ||||
| NRL Finals | 32 | 23 | - | - | 92 | 22 | 10 | 0 | 68.75% | List | ||||
| State of Origin | 31 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 61.29% | List | ||||
| World Club Challenge | 4 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Anzac Tests | 7 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 13 | 16 | - | - | 64 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 92.31% | List | ||||
| Four Nations | 8 | 8 | - | - | 32 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 75.00% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 2008-14, 2017 | 30 | 27 | - | - | 108 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 90.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 2008, 2013, 2017 | 13 | 16 | - | - | 64 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 92.31% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| QLD | 2004-05, 2008-15, 2017-18 | 31 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 61.29% | List | |||
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NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2003 | 26 | 19 | - | - | 76 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 61.54% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2004 | 22 | 14 | - | - | 56 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 54.55% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2005 | 21 | 20 | - | - | 80 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 57.14% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2006 | 15 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 80.00% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2007 | 23 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 86.96% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2008 | 24 | 14 | - | - | 56 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 79.17% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2009 | 26 | 18 | - | - | 72 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 61.54% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2010 | 22 | 10 | - | - | 40 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 59.09% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2011 | 24 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 79.17% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2012 | 21 | 16 | - | - | 64 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 90.48% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2013 | 24 | 18 | - | - | 72 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 66.67% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2014 | 22 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 59.09% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2015 | 7 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 71.43% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2016 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2017 | 21 | 11 | - | - | 44 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 90.48% | List | |||
| Melbourne | NRL 2018 | 20 | 7 | - | - | 28 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 60.00% | List | |||
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Melbourne | 2003-18 | 319 | 190 | - | - | 760 | 224 | 93 | 2 | 70.22% | List | |||
Contributions:
Rugby League Tables, Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Bill Bates, Alan Katzmann, Max Turner, Darren Andrews
Sources:
NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2004, NRL 2004 Official Rugby League Annual, 2006 Official Rugby League Annual
Your Say
Anonymous says: It's been a pleasure watching a guy like Billy play in my lifetime. (06/12/2011)
Darren May says: A true legend of the game. (05/08/2013)
Imastormtrooper2 says: Billy drove from Innisfail to Brisbane with his cousin to trial for Norths RLFC - which at the time was the Melbourne Storm affiliation team ... It was at Norths that he met and played along side Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk ... Smith went to the Storm in 2002, Slater in 2003 and Cronk in 2004 ... (28/10/2013)
Manu says: Billy Slater is by far the best fullback in the game over a number of years. Its a pleasure watching him play. What a talent! (02/12/2013)
Anonymous says: billy slater is the best fullback in the game ever.!!! ultra consistent 100% effort every game he plays (16/08/2015)
Anonymous says: what can u say or add to about a champion of champions... (18/04/2016)
Kad Wallis says: I have been a fan of RL for over 60 years and Billy is the best fullback I have seen in my lifetime.
He has changed the way fullbacks now play and has set the bar very high and has shown the young players of today what is possible both in attack and defence (21/09/2016)
Waynemorrell says: The best fullback of all time he will be missed when he retires hopefully we will see him for one more season. (22/07/2017)
Flvr says: By far the most extraordinarily gifted fullback I have had the pleasure of watching. 2nd to none as a runner of the ball from the backfield, passes like a half and chimes into an attacking backline perfectly. Very safe under the high ball, postional sense on defense is 2nd to none as is his communication and marshalling of his defensive line. Would not be surprised to see him annointed as an immortal in the next 20 years. Thank you Billy. (15/10/2017)
AJW says: I’ve been watching league since I can remember and have witnessed some awesome fullbacks. Guys like Eadie, Jack and Belcher and others, but Billy Slater is in a class of his own. It’s hard comparing players of different generations, particularly from ones I didn’t witness, but he’s the best Fullback I’ve seen in my 40 odd years!! (04/03/2018)
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