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RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Health
- RNZ News
State of Origin: Queensland coach Billy Slater's game day public apology
by Chris De Silva, ABC Queensland coach Billy Slater. Photo: AAP / 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. -ABC
Daily Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Billy Slater apologises for ‘disgraceful' comment after fierce backlash
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Billy Slater has issued a public apology over his controversial press conference comments on Tuesday. The Queensland coach has been facing a backlash after his 'dark' decision to bring up the suicide of former Cowboys and Queensland coach Paul Green while responding to being called a 'grub' by former NSW rival Aaron Woods. The 41-year-old caused uproar in his final press conference ahead of Wednesday night's do-or-die State of Origin Game 2 in Perth. Slater has now stood in front of TV cameras again as the Queensland camp called a snap media appearance at the team's hotel. Slater read out a prepared statement. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. 'Yesterday I wrongly made the link between Paul Green's death and the stress and pressures of coaching, which wasn't accurate,' he said. 'Nor was it appropriate.' He said he had spoken to Green's wife Amanda. 'I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to Amanda Green this morning and apologised for any hurt that it may have caused her and her family. 'I just want to say this, Paul had CTE. It's a different disease to what I was referring to . Once again I'm deeply and genuinely sorry. Thank you.' The Storm icon's public appearance in front of fans in Perth on Tuesday had been dominated by his response to a personal sledge fired by Woods last week. Billy Slater fronts the media in Perth. Photo: X and @TedRoker. The former NSW forward called Slater a 'grub' while also criticising the premiership-winning fullback for his decision to axe former captain Daly Cherry-Evans after the Maroons were blown off the park in the series opener. The former Wests Tigers captain was heavily criticised by some Queensland figures, including Broncos icon Gorden Tallis, for his public swipe at Slater. But there has been a dramatic twist in the public relations battle since Slater's response in Perth. Slater was visibly emotional when he made reference to Green, who tragically took his own life in 2022 — one year before Slater took the job. Billy Slater (left) and Cameron Munster addressing the media in Perth. (Photo by) The 41-year-old scolded Woods by suggesting the comments were in poor taste, considering the potential impact such comments can have on people's mental health. Woods, who retired at the end of the 2024 NRL season, on Wednesday morning responded by calling Slater's comments about Green 'completely unnecessary'. 'It's a hard position he's in at the moment,' Woods said on Triple M. 'He's lost game one of the series up in Queensland. 'He's coming off a losing series which was a decider in Queensland as well. 'So he's under a lot of pressure. 'But one in particular comment that he did make. I just thought Billy went a little bit over the boundary. I just think it was completely unnecessary for the situation.' Former NRL star Beau Ryan, who is also Woods' co-host, was also critical of Slater. 'It took a dark turn yesterday. From where I'm standing, Billy was waving the white flag,' he said. 'It looked like he's had a week to reply, you've called him a grub - I don't know if grub means something different in Queensland - he was a grubby player and all that. 'It's festered out of proportion and it's been the only thing people have been talking about before the game, which isn't right.' Slater has been facing a backlash since his press conference with commentators going public with criticism of the coach. Fox League commentator Andrew Voss said on his SEN Breakfast show Slater had missed the mark. 'I think Billy was out of order referencing the late Paul Green. He went too far,' he said. 'Deal with your own response but don't bring others into it. That was beyond talking about Origin. 'Maybe Billy regrets that but the way he delivered it, it wasn't off the cuff.' Newcastle icon Matthew Johns was visibly staggered when first hearing Slater's comments. SEN has shared a video on X showing Johns' jaw dropped when audio from Slater's press conference was played. 'Whether it's in banter, theatre, whatever it is - if you do say something about someone, and it is personal, then you hand them immediately a right of reply,' Johns told SEN 1170. 'Billy's used that right of reply and he's certainly taken a long handle to it. I have no doubt that Woodsy's building up the theatre. Paul Green coached Queensland for one series in 2021. (Photo by) 'When he said, first of all, Billy's a grub, I sort of thought - it's a bit of fun - and then I thought this is sort of starting to get into the personal area. 'In his heart of hearts, Woodsy just meant it purely as banter but it hasn't been taken that way and when you say something like that - then you run the risk of that.' Johns is one of many to suggest Slater had a pre-prepared answer knowing he was going to be asked about Woods during the public appearance. 'He's certainly taken the long handle to it,' Johns said. 'I did laugh when Pete (journalist Pete Badel) asked him the question and he (Slater) said, 'Do you really want me to answer that?' 'He had a very well thought out answer.' Slater's stance has clearly irked others in the game with fans quick to point out times he caused offence with his comments. The legendary fullback was in 2010 forced to admit he 'overstepped the mark' by taunting Newcastle's Cory Paterson over his battle with depression It was reported at the time Slater told Paterson during a skirmish on the field: 'Go and have a cry in your room'. Paterson had the previous year taken a step away from the game to manage his mental health. Slater finished his career as one of the greatest players of the modern era, but his stature in the game has somewhat been diminished by his record of being cited for 10 offences by the NRL Match Review during the course of his 319 games. He was suspended for a total of 13 matches. That behaviour has been questioned again in light of Slater's apparent offence to the term 'grub'. Aussie sport journalist Alicia Newton posted on X the term 'grub' means 'nothing'. 'And Slater was a grub in his playing days which is what Woods was talking about in the first place,' she wrote. 'It's just weird to bring Green's name up in what's been a very boring Origin series so far. Wasn't required but desperate times.' The Courier-Mail found its target before Game 1. Aaron Woods on the Triple M Breakfast show he co-hosts. He addressed Billy Slater's comments. She went on to post: 'Feel for Paul Green's family, absolutely no need to bring his name into it. Slater running out of answers if that's how he wants to fire up Queensland. 'Was OK for Blues player to be labelled a grub three weeks ago… the hypocrites in rugba league are astonishing.' Veteran Australian sport journalist Bernie Cohen wrote: 'Billy Slater may be a legend to some people in rugby league but imo bringing up Paul Green at today's presser was a bloody disgrace'. One NRL fan posted: 'Billy Slater is not only a grub, he's a hypocritical grub of the highest order to also bring Paul Green into it'. Another fan suggested: 'Billy Slater exploiting Paul Green's passing to claim some lame moral high ground over a contrived #origin sledge is quite frankly pathetic and probably highlights the reason why he was called a grub during his playing days'. Slater earlier called Woods' position in the media into question. 'When you hold a position in the media or in our game, I feel that's a privilege and with that privilege comes a responsibility,' the Channel 9 commentator began. 'I sit in that position most weeks and you amplify your voice to millions of people. You're not talking to your mates in the pub. 'Now, I know Aaron Woods. I actually ran into him about three or four weeks ago at a footy game and he didn't voice that opinion then. 'He actually brought his son over and introduced him to me. 'And I get the attention in our game. I get that. Our game creates attention, but there's a responsibility with that attention, all right? 'When you degrade someone personally in a derogatory manner, you probably don't deserve one of those privileged positions that you're all in, that we're all in.' Aaron Woods is expected to respond to Slater's comments on Wednesday. (Photo by) The press conference was held in a public, outdoor forum and Slater's comments received some applause from the crowd. But the 41-year-old wasn't finished and gave some insights into his emotional response when he referenced former Maroons coach Green, who held the position for one year before Slater and tragically took his own life in 2022. 'I'm not done yet,' Slater continued. 'You don't know what people are going through and although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn't be. 'Maybe our last coach (Green) 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 about someone. 'There's your answer.' Rugby league journalists staggered by Slater reply Billy Slater and NSW counterpart Laurie Daley shake hands in Perth. (Photo by) Slater's comments were discussed on Fox League's NRL 360 on Tuesday night, with panellists Paul Crawley and Dean Ritchie both questioning whether Slater had crossed a line by mentioning Green's name. They also queried whether the 'grub' comment was strong enough to push Slater to make his remarks. The Courier-Mail had a front-page headline of 'Smash this Blues grub' in reference to NSW enforcer Spencer Leniu prior to this year's Game 1. Journalist Peter Badel, who put the Woods question to Slater at the press conference, was asked about it all on the Fox League show. 'It was quite amazing,' he said. 'To be honest I expected him to dead bat the question as he tends to do. 'The response … I don't think any of us expected it. It was pretty dramatic, it was pretty cutting, it was a withering attack on Aaron Woods. 'He inferred that he was two-faced, suggested it was degrading and as a commentator he should consider his position moving forward. 'Then the bombshell moment, he didn't mention Paul Green personally but did mention Queensland's last coach. 'If he had his time again, maybe he doesn't mention Paul Green's name.' Back in 2021 Green lost his opening two matches in charge of Queensland, 50-6 and 26-0, before winning Game 3 20-18 during a series impacted by Covid. The former Queensland and NRL halfback then took his own life aged 49 in August the following year. Originally published as Billy Slater apologises for 'disgraceful' comment after fierce backlash
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
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,"… — 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." RELATED: Panthers fans call for return of former star after Parramatta exit NRL fans react after Broncos sign forward from Melbourne Storm 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.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Billy Slater reveals he said sorry to Paul Green's widow as he makes grovelling public apology for bringing up the footy great's suicide in State of Origin war of words
Billy Slater has backed down over his shocking comments about footy legend Paul Green's tragic death on Tuesday - and revealed he called the former Cowboys coach's widow to apologise. The Queensland Origin coach held a short press conference on Wednesday morning in which he said he is 'deeply and genuinely sorry' for using Green's suicide in 2022 to slam ex-NSW star Aaron Woods for calling him a 'grub' last week. Slater acknowledged that Green was suffering from the incurable brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died. 'I made the link between Paul Green's death and the pressures of coaching. It wasn't accurate, nor was it appropriate,' Slater said. 'I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to Amanda Green this morning to apologise.' Slater referenced Green while delivering a pointed takedown to Woods over the former NSW prop's 'grub' claims in an angry statement on Tuesday afternoon. He questioned former NSW forward Woods's right to have a voice in the media after copping heat from him last week. The under-pressure Maroons coach also played down the spotlight on his own job, as Queensland fight to stay in the series at Optus Stadium in Perth on Wednesday night. But Slater saved the most poignant response to a question around Woods's comments. Woods made headlines last week when he labelled Slater a grub on Sydney radio, pointing to the fact he kicked Wests Tigers prop John Skandalis in a game in 2006. Asked about the issue on Tuesday, Slater questioned reporters if they really wanted him to answer before unleashing on Woods with a rally-like speech. 'When you hold a position in the media or in our game, I feel that's a privilege. And with that privilege comes a responsibility,' Slater said. 'I sit in that position most weeks and you amplify your voice to millions of people. You're not talking to your mates in the pub. 'I know Aaron Woods. I actually ran into him three or four weeks ago at a footy game and he didn't voice that opinion then. He actually brought his son over to introduce him to me. 'When you degrade someone personally in a derogatory manner, you probably don't deserve one of those privileged positions that we're all in. 'You don't know what people are going through. 'And although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn't be. Maybe our last coach didn't.' Green coaching the Maroons in the 2021 series before Slater took over in 2022. A post-mortem found the North Queensland premiership-winning coach had been living with a 'severe' and undiagnosed case of CTE. Woods returned serve on his Triple M radio show on Wednesday morning, refusing to back away from his comments as he said Slater went too far. 'Those comments I made last Tuesday, I stand by them,' Woods said. 'I just thought Billy went a little bit over the boundary, and I just think it was really - I just think it was completely unnecessary for the situation.' Woods' co-host and fellow former NRL star Beau Ryan also hit out at Slater. 'It took a different turn yesterday. It's been blown out of proportion,' he said. ''It took a dark turn yesterday. From where I'm standing, Billy was waving the white flag.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
4 measles cases confirmed in Lamar County, officials say
PARIS, Texas (KETK) – Four confirmed cases of the measles in people from 5-months-old to adult age were reported by the Paris-Lamar County Health District on Thursday. Measles cases are still rising in Texas. Here's what you should know about the contagious virus According to the Paris-Lamar County Health District (PLCHD), the four people are unvaccinated against the measles and came to Lamar County from Gaines County in West Texas during their recent measles outbreak. PLCHD is actively investigating these cases with the help of the Texas Department of State Health Services Public Health Region 4/5 North. They are working to contact people who were potentially exposed to the measles and warned that more cases of the 'highly contagious' disease may occur, especially among those who haven't been vaccinated against it. 'Measles is a serious yet preventable disease,' Dr. Amanda Green with the PLCHD said. 'Staying up to date on vaccinations is the most effective way to safeguard yourself, your loved ones and the community from this highly contagious illness. With these recent cases, it's more important than ever to ensure your immunizations are current.' Officials said that symptoms of the measles include the following conditions: High fever Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes Rash, typically starting on the face and spreading downward 2 to 5 days after initial symptoms Those infected can spread the disease four days before and four days after getting the measles rash, officials said. The health district said anyone exposed or experiencing symptoms should isolate themselves immediately and contact their healthcare provider to arrange testing in a safe manner. The Paris-Lamar County Health District provides free and low-cost measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. People are asked to call the district at 903-785-4561 to check times and availability of vaccine appointments. 'We understand the concern that the community may have about Measles and vaccinations. Please do not hesitate to call your doctor or the Paris-Lamar County Health District at any time to discuss those concerns,' the district said. Any questions can be directed to the district by phone at 903-785-4561 or by email to Alison Thrasher Allen with the PLCHD epidemiology department at alisonT@ or to executive director Gina Prestridge at ginap@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
