State of Origin: Queensland coach Billy Slater's game day public apology
by Chris De Silva, ABC
Queensland coach Billy Slater.
Photo:
AAP / www.photosport.nz
Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater has publicly apologised after linking late Queensland coach Paul Green to a comment made by former NSW prop Aaron Woods.
Slater was asked to respond to being called a "grub" by Woods on Sydney radio, and was visibly emotional when making a reference to Green, who died in 2022.
In a dramatic precursor to State of Origin II, the Maroons coach Slater questioned former NSW forward Woods's right to have a voice in the media after copping heat from him last week.
However, the 41-year-old called a snap press conference on Wednesday morning in Perth ahead of game two of the State of Origin series, and apologised for referencing Green.
"Yesterday I wrongly made the link between Paul Green's death and the stress and pressures of coaching, which wasn't accurate and nor was it appropriate,'' he said.
"I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to [Green's wife] Amanda Green this morning and apologised for any hurt it may have caused her or her family.
"I just want to say this, Paul had CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy]. That is a different disease to what I was referring to.
"I am deeply and genuinely sorry.''
Green took his own life aged 49 in 2022 one year after coaching Queensland. Post-mortem scans on his brain revealed he had a severe form of CTE.
Former Queensland coach Paul Green who died in 2022.
Photo:
PHOTOSPORT
Slater was speaking alongside Maroons skipper Cameron Munster at a media opportunity on Tuesday when he was asked about Woods's comments, and ended a lengthy response by referencing Green.
"You don't know what people are going through," he said.
"And although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn't be. Maybe our last coach didn't.
"I believe the character of a person is judged more on what they say about people and how they treat people, than what an individual says to create attention."
Slater is under immense pressure coming in to Origin II, with Queensland needing a win to avoid losing a second consecutive series to NSW after last year's upset.
A loss at Perth Stadium against the Blues would make Slater's Maroons the first Queensland side to lose four consecutive State of Origin matches since 1996-97.
The Maroons, then led by Paul Vautin, were swept 3-0 in the 1996 series and then lost the first two games of the 1997 series before winning the third and final game to go down 2-1.
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