Billy Slater issues apology to Paul Green's family after 'inappropriate' comment
Billy Slater has issued a public apology for referencing the late Paul Green in comments he made on Tuesday, and revealed he rang Green's widow Amanda to personally apologise. Slater was accused of taking his feud with Aaron Woods into a "dark turn" on Tuesday when he responded to remarks from the former Blues player calling him a "grub".
An emotional Slater used the pre-Origin 2 press conference to hit back at Woods, questioning his role in the media and accusing him of being two-faced after being nice to his face and then attacking him from behind a microphone. The outburst came a week after Woods, speaking on his Triple M breakfast show, labelled Slater "a grub" and blasted his lack of loyalty in dumping skipper and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.
The Maroons coach chose his words carefully on Tuesday when asked about Woods' comments, but referenced former Queensland coach Green, who died by suicide in 2022. "When you degrade someone personally in a derogatory manner, you probably don't deserve one of those privileged positions that you're (the media) all in, that we're all in," Slater said.
"You don't know what people are going through. Although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn't be. Maybe our last coach (Green) didn't."
Slater's reference to Green proved very divisive, and the Queensland coach publicly apologised on Wednesday morning. Speaking at a hastily-organised press conference, Slater acknowledged he shouldn't have mentioned Green - who was suffering from brain disorder CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy) when he died - and phoned Green's wife Amanda to say sorry.
'Yesterday I wrongly made the link between Paul Green's death and the stress and pressures of coaching, which wasn't accurate, nor was it appropriate,' he said. 'I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to Amanda Green this morning and apologised for any hurt I may have caused her or her family. Paul had CTE, that's a different disease to what I was referring to. Once again I am deeply and genuinely sorry.'
Queensland coach Billy Slater has apologised for referring to his predecessor, the late Paul Green, while responding to Aaron Woods over the former Blues prop's "grub" claims."Although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn't be. Maybe our last coach didn't,"… pic.twitter.com/RpwQij8ED0
— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) June 18, 2025
Talking on his radio show on Wednesday morning, Woods said he respected Slater's right to reply but felt his reference to Green was uncalled for. "It's part of something I said in the lead up to this game and when you say comments like that, that person is owed a right to reply," Woods said.
"He's been very well thought out. He's been very measured in what he's had to say. It is a privilege to work at Triple M. I love coming in here every day and speaking about rugby League and the city of Sydney.
"It's also a massive responsibility, like Billy said. And with that responsibility, you've got to have an opinion, whether it's good or bad. You've got to be critical of people's performances sometimes, which is what Billy is a lot of the time on Channel 9.
"But one particular comment he did make, I just thought Billy went a little bit over the boundary. And I just think it was completely unnecessary for the situation. It was disappointing what transpired yesterday."
Triple M co-host and former NRL player Beau Ryan added: "It took a dark turn yesterday. From where I'm seeing it, Billy was waving the white flag. You called him a grub - I don't know if grub means something different in Queensland – and it's festered and blown out of proportion.
"From your point of view, no one's apologising, no one's meeting in the middle. You're a New South Welshman, he's a Queenslander and may the best team win."
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Queensland need to win in Perth on Wednesday night to keep the 2025 series alive and avoid a fourth straight defeat and back-to-back series losses. Slater has been assured his job is not in jeopardy, regardless of results in Games 2 and 3, but the pressure for change will be immense if the Maroons can't turn it around.
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