billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 9:56 am  

Announced his retirement at the end of the season. One of the best fullbacks I have seen play in the flesh, model pro who overcame serious injuries to return to the top of the game. Also a thorn in gb and England sides over the years. We may never see a trio of similar ilk to Smith, Cronk and slater again.

Problem for us is no sooner do we see the back of him then tedesco is waiting in the wings to take over.

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:00 am  

the artist wrote:

Announced his retirement at the end of the season. One of the best fullbacks I have seen play in the flesh, model pro who overcame serious injuries to return to the top of the game. Also a thorn in gb and England sides over the years. We may never see a trio of similar ilk to Smith, Cronk and slater again.

Problem for us is no sooner do we see the back of him then tedesco is waiting in the wings to take over.

He has been a real pleasure to watch over his career and as you mention really is a model pro. Will go down as one of the best of this generation along with Thurston and Lockyer. So often NRL players `retire` then go on to play a season in SL i.e Matty Bowen, I wonder if there is a chance we will see this from him?

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:34 am  

Still a cracking player.

That’s Thirston and Slater retiring. Both would come here and rip it up still, should both do a Menzies and come over.

In fact we should be all over these types of players upon their retirement announcements.

On Slater; an old mate of mine played for Hudds and Halifax and Fax played Melbourne in a pre-WCC warm-up game about a decade back and he said Slater took one high ball and already started peddling his legs on the way down and was at running speed as soon as he hit the deck, he’d never seen owt like it before.

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:39 am  

A true great of the game

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:26 am  

I would love to see him or Smith come over for a year but unfortunately it's no longer worth it for them. They can get similar money walking into a media or coaching job and both of those mentioned have young families they would have to uproot.

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 12:12 pm  

I think they need to retire gracefully, I have loved watching them all and whilst I think Smith and Cronk still have something to offer, Slater and Thurston are shot, Billy's injuries probably shortened his career, and since coming back from his operation Thurston is a shell of the magical player he was, and a little hard to watch this season.

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:21 pm  

Salford red all over wrote:

I think they need to retire gracefully, I have loved watching them all and whilst I think Smith and Cronk still have something to offer, Slater and Thurston are shot, Billy's injuries probably shortened his career, and since coming back from his operation Thurston is a shell of the magical player he was, and a little hard to watch this season.

Wasn't DrMarWanK once trying to sign Billy?

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 6:56 pm  

See William Slater's emotional but perfectly written "thank you" press conference announcement here: https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/08/08/sla ... -it-quits/ He will surely have a post-retirement career in the Australian media, probably with Channel 9.

See William Slater's emotional but perfectly written "thank you" press conference announcement here: https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/08/08/sla ... -it-quits/ He will surely have a post-retirement career in the Australian media, probably with Channel 9.

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:00 pm  

Agree about this great player, every great player has a peak of duration of being at their best, in the period of time
They play to the changing game & fitness levels. These things & times do not alter a players skill level & ability
Great players learn quicker because they think quicker & deeper this - attaching what they have learnt to their game.
However time does catch up with all great players.
If you have watched the game as long as me, I well remember the best attacking full back i saw with high skills
Was Gary Cooper, yes he was in a different era but had he have trained today coupled to a modern diet he would still excell.
He was a GB tourist before he came to Wakefield & won the ashes on that tour.
But time caught up on him, he was a great player.
Gary is the brother to Kath Heatherington ! For those who don't know.
He was awesome.

Re: billy slater : Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:38 pm  

Salford red all over wrote:

I think they need to retire gracefully, I have loved watching them all and whilst I think Smith and Cronk still have something to offer, Slater and Thurston are shot, Billy's injuries probably shortened his career, and since coming back from his operation Thurston is a shell of the magical player he was, and a little hard to watch this season.

Slaters 35 and has played over 300 nrl games, 30 each for Australia and Queensland. Hes the current Clive Churchill medal winner, current Wally Lewis medal winner, has missed 6 games this year (at least 1 due to origin) and is 6th on the dally m ladder (before it went behind closed doors).

Shot? Please...