Jake Slater will be one of the main attractions as he takes a big step in his own rugby league journey.
There will be plenty of eyes on Billy Slater’s son Jake when the 14-year-old takes centre stage at the Australian Secondary Schools national championships this weekend. Described as a crafty halfback, Slater’s son has been picked in the Victorian under-15s team for the schoolboys tournament in Townsville.
He’s likely to come off the bench, but is expected to get plenty of playing time under the watchful eye of some of the country’s leading player scouts. Jake has the same slender frame as his famous father, but according to those in the know he has a good footy brain and is keen to learn.
The 14-year-old has been in and around the Queensland State of Origin camp for a number of years tailing father Billy. Victoria coach Hamish Pearce told The Courier Mail: “He is just a ripping kid, he has a really good head on his shoulders.
Like Billy, he is a bit undersized, but he has got some really good footy skills and a great footy brain. He will be able to do a job for us. You can see with the questions he asks and the responses he gives, his footy IQ is really good. He has definitely been coached well.”
Jake goes to Haileybury College in Melbourne – where his parents have based their family. Despite hailing from Queensland and being a Maroons legend, Slater and his family spend the majority of their time in Victoria on their farm.
Billy played 323 games for the Melbourne Storm, as well as 31 Origin matches for Queensland and 30 Tests for Australia. He’s in his third year as Maroons coach and is hoping to win his second series in the Game 3 decider next month.
Billy has reportedly been spotted around the Victorian schoolboys’ training sessions, but has taken a hands-off approach. It marks Jake’s first taste of representative footy amid a blossoming career of his own. Some of the game’s greatest players represented their states in schoolboys tournaments. Only time will tell how good Jake ends up being, but for the moment his parents are just keen for him to enjoy himself.
Billy Slater forced to find new fullback for Origin 3
Billy is preparing to lead the Maroons into Origin 3 on July 9, and the coach will have to make a number of tricky decisions. Kalyn Ponga has been ruled out with a foot injury, with Reece Walsh the leading candidate to replace him.
However Slater could opt to switch Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to fullback and bring in a winger or centre. Murray Taulagi has plenty of Origin experience and is back to full fitness with the Cowboys, giving Slater the option of using him on the wing and Hammer at fullback if he decides Walsh is too much of a risk on the comeback from a knee injury.
