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BILLY THE KID SEES FUTURE IN MAROON

BILLY Slater has revealed plans to extend his mighty career in Maroon in a move that will see him become the most-capped fullback in State of Origin history.

The Storm flyer turns 32 during the 2015 Origin series and after three off-season operations, including major shoulder surgery, one could be excused for fearing the Innisfail whiz is reaching the end of the interstate road.

But Billy the Kid is far from finished. Last season’s first series loss in nine years is one motivating factor. Then there is present contract extension talks with the Storm that will see Slater remain in Melbourne playing NRL beyond his 34th birthday in 2017.

Former Maroons front-rower Shane Webcke is an example of one NRL star who reluctantly retired early from Test and Origin football to preserve his club career at the Broncos.

Queensland hierarchy have devised a succession plan for Greg Inglis to eventually replace Slater in the No.1 jumper, but that scenario is on ice for at least another two years in the eyes of the Storm speedster.

“I’ll be playing for Queensland as long as I can,” he said.

“If I’m fit, I will put my hand up to play for Queensland and Australia as long as my body and mind allows.

“Rep football is a great honour in our game and these days you don’t hear of too many players voluntarily giving up their jerseys.

“Every session I go to I am still trying to better myself and the day I’m sick of doing that stuff and don’t want to get out of bed, I will retire … but I’m very far from that point.”

Besides, Slater is on the verge of breaking records.

He entered the 2015 NRL season needing just two tries to surpass legendary winger Ken Irvine as the greatest tryscorer for one club in the code’s 107-year history.

At Origin level, Slater is also ready to raise the bar. He needs just one more game to equal winger-fullback Dale Shearer, who played 26 games for the Maroons between 1985-86. Andrew Ettingshausen, who played wing, centre and fullback for NSW, amassed 27 Origin games, but Slater will leapfrog them both to become Origin’s undisputed fullback kingpin.

Slater first injured his shoulder during the 2014 Origin campaign, but has no concerns about his body’s ability to handle the rigours of club and interstate football.

“I did my shoulder in the first State of Origin game last year and it was one of those things where I kept playing with pain-killing injections,” he said.

“But it made the injury worse and it got to the stage where I needed it reconstructed.

“While I was in there, I also decided to get my elbow cleaned out, but that wasn’t as serious. My shoulder feels great now … to be honest, I actually feel better now than I did 12 months ago.”

The scary part is that Slater could get better after revealing he played Origin last year with damaged eyesight, prompting him to undergo laser surgery over summer.

“I didn’t realise how bad my eyesight was until I went to the optometrist,” he said.

“I joked with our physio one day, saying, ‘Mate, I think I’m going blind’. I couldn’t see the scores in the bottom of TV screens and on game day I was getting confused with numbers on the big screen.

“I wore contacts a few times but it was really frustrating, they would be blurry in games so I decided to get the laser surgery done.

“I can see perfectly now which is great. Playing NRL with dodgy eyes was definitely not ideal … I’m glad they are fixed now.”

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