Billy Slater should be “at the top of the list” for NRL clubs seeking a head coach, according to outgoing Queensland Rugby League (QRL) chief executive Ben Ikin. However, Slater's plan to lead the Maroons without a formal contract has not necessarily opened the door for a club move just yet.
Slater's contract status and club interest
The 43-year-old former Melbourne Storm fullback stunned the rugby league world by admitting he only “thinks” he will proceed beyond Wednesday night's State of Origin decider, and would do so on a handshake basis if he continues. This raised the prospect of a future in club football sooner than expected. Slater looms as a hot commodity after putting himself on the brink of four series wins out of five with shrewd tactics and bold selection decisions.
His former club Melbourne will need a successor to Craig Bellamy in the coming years. The veteran coach has outlasted previous obvious replacements but now faces an uncertain outlook after being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder. Slater, still on the Storm's books as a specialist coach, has already been labelled a “dream” candidate by Melbourne boss Matt Tripp.
Ikin's endorsement
Ikin, who is leaving his role later this month, believes “there will absolutely be a number of NRL clubs” that would put Slater on their hit list “and should be choosing him as a head coach.” “We've been blessed to have him in charge of the Maroons for as long as he's doing that,” Ikin told 7NEWS.com.au ahead of Origin III. Slater has not yet indicated his desire to move into an NRL hot seat. “That's Billy's ambition for him to share with us if and when he's ready,” Ikin said. “I've got no doubt he can do the (club) job extremely well ... it's no surprise to us that he'd be in demand.”
Ikin said he expects Melbourne to be doing “everything they can” to let Bellamy “finish on his own terms” while having Slater at the top of their list to take over. Bellamy's influence on Slater has been clear, but Ikin said Maroons coaching great Mal Meninga had also left his mark. “The secret sauce up here in Queensland has traditionally been that we're playing for some bigger than ourselves,” Ikin said. “Because when the Maroons win State of Origin the whole state walks a bit taller. Mal was very good at that. Billy certainly learnt from his time under Mal and then from a game plan perspective, the detail in his coaching, I see elements of Craig Bellamy. He's a great student, he's got a curious mind and a big brain, and the combination makes him really formidable.”
Slater's coaching style and future
Slater still has some way to go if he is to match Meninga in one area, currently sitting five years shy of Meninga's 10-year stint as Queensland coach. Whether he gets there, and why he might not, has never been less clear after his contract call. Ikin said that decision to eschew a formal deal stemmed from Slater finding his rhythm and the best approach — as well as “how it fits into his life with all the many other roles” he balances alongside the Maroons.
“He's been very open and transparent about why,” Ikin said. “We were very comfortable with that because of his responsible and committed approach to doing the job, that we were happy to work with him on the terms that we were both comfortable with. And that is we put him in charge, he prepares for a series, he coaches the series, hopefully wins the series. We then review the series with him and then have a mature conversation about whether or not he continues on the next year. I think the trust that's formed between Billy and the QRL since he's been in charge is now running pretty deep. I think the no contract thing — we'll have to talk to his agent about whether or not the agent would be comfortable with that. But what it essentially is saying, it's speaking to the strength of the relationship between the two parties now. We trust him, he trusts us, and we know that if something changes for either of us that we can have a mature conversation about what the next play needs to be.”
Origin decider and fan advice
Wednesday's decider ends the longest possible wait between Suncorp Stadium matches for Queensland after hosting last year's opener before matches in Perth, Sydney twice and Melbourne since then. Caxton St will be pumping but Ikin, a DrinkWise ambassador, urged fans to make good decisions. “If you're going to make your way to Origin and be part of one of the greatest sporting events on the planet you want to be able to enjoy it,” he said. “Drinking responsibly allows you to have better experiences. If I'm heading to Origin, I want to be in a state where if and when the Maroons win, every part of that experience is something that I remember.”
