Billy Slater's sad family admission before Origin as QLD buoyed by Kalyn Ponga news

Yahoo

25-05-2025

Queensland coach Billy Slater has paid tribute to his late father Ron as he prepares to lead the Maroons into State of Origin for the first time since his death. The Maroons were given a massive boost over the weekend with superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga declared a certain starter after overcoming a niggling quad complaint.
And while that will come as welcome news for Slater and the Queensland side, the Maroons coach admits he'll head into Wednesday night's Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium missing the one man he could always count on for support and advice. Slater's dad Ron passed away in January in Cairns hospital at the age of 72 after a lengthy battle with the chronic lung disease, emphysema.
It continued a devastating 12 months for the Slater family after Billy's brother-in-law Ryan Craig drowned in Mackay trying to save his daughter in March, last year. The late father-of-four was married to Slater's older sister Sheena and the heartbreaking tragedy left the family and the local community shattered.
Amid his family heartbreak, Slater has managed to juggle his various roles in the media with Channel Nine, as well as Queensland's coach and a horse breeder alongside his wife, Nicole. But in an interview with ahead of the Origin series opener, Slater admits it will be tough leading his state against the Blues for the first time without his 'best mate' and father Ron in his corner.
'I used to run the Queensland team by dad every game. I can't do that anymore,' Slater told the publication after admitting that he misses his old man every day. 'I do a lot of travelling in the car, going to the airport, and dad was the No.1 number on my phone that I would hit. I can't make that call anymore for a chat, so they are the times I really miss him."
Slater credits his dad for his love of rugby league but their playing styles could not have been much different. While Ron was a tough lock from Innisfail regarded as one of the best forwards in country league for Queensland back in his playing days, Billy was a silky-skilled and speedy livewire who would go on to become one of the greatest fullbacks the game has ever seen.
The Maroons coach will be hoping to pass on some inspiration to Queensland's current No.1 Ponga, who's been declared fit for Game 1 on Wednesday night after training fully with the squad for the first time on Saturday. The sight of Ponga pointing to his quad and failing to join in with the rest of the group at Maroons camp earlier in the week would have left fans around the state feeling very nervous.
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But after doing his own rehab running and training separately from the rest of the squad, the Newcastle Knights skipper took his place with the main group for the first time on Saturday in a huge boost to their hopes of winning Game 1. With Reece Walsh out injured, Slater has picked Ponga to start at fullback for the first time since 2022 when he was man of the match in Queensland's series-clinching win.
"Kalyn will be right to go. He missed the first couple of training sessions, but he will be ready to go next Wednesday night," Maroons utility Tom Dearden said. "It's just the type of player he is, he won't miss a beat. He has been in this team a few times so he knows what to do when he is out there."
Even when Ponga was unable to train earlier in the week, he was seen picking Slater's brain and gaining valuable advice off the Maroons legend. And Ponga says confidence and clarity that his coach has instilled leaves him raring to go for Game 1. "It's knowing my role and nailing it," Ponga said. I have a job to do in defence, but that freedom to roam in attack and be an extension of our spine helping Munny (Cameron Munster) and Chez (Daly Cherry-Evans), that's what I look forward to."
with AAP