Journalist Dean Ritchie has expressed that he wouldn’t be surprised if Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater steps down from his position following the series decider, regardless of the outcome. Slater, who led the Maroons to victory in his first two series as coach in 2022 and 2023, faced defeat in the 2024 series against Michael Maguire’s New South Wales Blues.
Slater’s tenure has been marked by intense rivalry and scrutiny. In 2023, Maguire accused the Maroons of living in “glass houses,” a comment that seemed to unsettle Slater. The 2024 series saw further tensions when former NSW forward Aaron Woods labeled Slater a “grub,” prompting criticism of Slater’s response, which referenced the death of his predecessor, Paul Green.
Pressure Mounts on Slater
As the series decider approached, questions arose about the pressure on Slater compared to NSW coach Laurie Daley. Ritchie, speaking on NRL 360, was clear in his assessment.
“I think Billy Slater is, for sure, given he’s been in the hot seat for a couple of years now,” Ritchie stated. “To me when I look at Bill, I don’t see a smile on his face anymore. He doesn’t look like a coach who’s enjoying his coaching.”
Ritchie speculated that Slater might decide to leave, saying, “I just don’t know whether Billy looks like a coach that’s enjoying it. I have no mail here, and I have no intuition other than the fact that, in my head I’m thinking, after this series, win, lose, or draw, it just would not shock me, if Billy said, ‘you know what, I’ve had enough.’”
Contrasting Opinions on Slater’s Future
However, Maroons legend Gorden Tallis disagreed with Ritchie’s prediction, expressing confidence in Slater’s commitment to the role.
“I don’t think Billy would walk away,” Tallis said. “I’ve never seen Billy Slater walk away from a challenge.”
Tallis did acknowledge the demanding nature of the State of Origin series on coaches, stating, “It does drain you. Because it’s got two states, sitting there, hoping and praying that their state wins, that their team wins.”
Handling Controversy and Moving Forward
Journalist Paul Crawley commented on Slater’s handling of the controversy surrounding his reference to Paul Green’s passing. Crawley noted that while Slater made an error in judgment, he managed the fallout with grace.
“He made a mistake with the Paul Green reference before game two, but where he showed courage was on the day of the game, he called Paul Green’s family, and he apologised, and then he got down to business,” Crawley observed. “There’s no question in the world, that inspired his team.”
As the series concludes, the question remains whether Slater will continue to lead the Maroons. His decision will undoubtedly impact the team dynamics and future strategies. Meanwhile, the rugby league community watches closely, anticipating Slater’s next move in the ever-competitive landscape of the NRL.
