Billy Slater will lead Queensland in State of Origin for at least another three years after officially inking an extension with the northern outfit this week. He will now helm the Maroons until at least the end of the 2026 series.
The 40-year-old, who played 31 Origin games before retiring, became a free agent after Queensland’s 2-1 victory over New South Wales earlier this year but has been eager to re-sign for some time; now he’s done just that this week.
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Slater stepped into the top job after Paul Green’s squad was well beaten in the 2021 series.
Though he was unproven, Slater quickly proved he has a natural knack for leading Origin sides and very nearly blasted the Blues away in a 3-0 sweep after a tough battle in 2022.
There were some fears within Queensland Rugby League that Slater would have his head turned by an NRL coaching job after two successful years in the Origin arena. In particular, the St George Illawarra Dragons sounded out the 40-year-old for a long-term gig, but he knocked the club’s early bids back quite quickly.
Once he turned down that job offer he returned to QRL and said that he wanted to remain in the top Maroons job for as long as he’s delivering strong results for the state—and negotiations began.
“It’s an incredible honour to be the Queensland coach,” Slater said after re-signing.
“From the very beginning, I was drawn to this role because I deeply understand the importance of this team to all Queenslanders. I’m a proud Queenslander and this team means a lot to me. It has been a massive part of my life and I’m extremely grateful to get the opportunity to help other people, not only fulfil their dream, but inspire our state.”
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“I believe we are only getting started,” the Maroons coach added. “I’m excited about the journey that this current group of players and staff have embarked upon.”
