Queensland Rugby League (QRL) boss Ben Ikin is confident Billy Slater will stay on as Maroons coach next year, regardless of the result in Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider. But the QRL chief admits that Slater would almost certainly be the Melbourne Storm’s leading candidate to eventually succeed Craig Bellamy.
The chance to take the reins from the veteran mentor at a club where Slater is revered as one of its greatest players, would hold obvious appeal. And speculation about Slater’s future intensified before the Origin decider when the Maroons coach made the bombshell revelation that he would not sign a new deal with the QRL.
Billy Slater has been tipped to stay on as Maroons coach in 2027 despite constant speculation that he could succeed Storm mentor Craig Bellamy at the NRL club.
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Slater explained that he had a ‘handshake’ agreement with the Maroons and would sit down with QRL bosses after the series to discuss whether he’d be staying on. But Ikin insists the Maroons coach is “super keen” to retain the role and the QRL are just as eager to extend him after three Origin series wins in his four first in charge of Queensland.
“The process will be he coaches out the series, we sit down and review the series together, we give our feedback and he gives his. Then, we jointly make a decision,” Ikin told Nine. “At this stage, with one game to go, it all feels very positive.”
Billy Slater linked with NRL coaching role at Storm
However, the outgoing QRL chief admits the Melbourne Storm could hold the ace if Slater decides he wants to be an NRL head coach. Storm chair Matt Tripp has already publicly called Slater a “dream” candidate to one day succeed Bellamy.
The 66-year-old Bellamy was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative condition this year. And there are no guarantees he’ll see out his current Storm deal which runs until the end of 2028. But Slater has not confirmed whether he would be interested in taking on an NRL head coaching role.
Maroons coach Billy Slater (R) is viewed as the most likely successor to veteran Storm mentor Craig Bellamy (L) at the NRL club. Pic: Getty
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Slater already has a busy working schedule that also includes his media commitments with Channel Nine, and horse breeding business Slater Thoroughbreds. But Ikin knows if he did decide to take the hotseat at an NRL club, then Melbourne would make the most sense for the Storm legend.
“He’s highly capable and deeply passionate about the (Maroons) role, but I know if he decided he wanted to be an NRL head coach, he’d do that very well too,” Ikin added. “I get the sense that the Melbourne Storm feel the same way and… if I was on that Melbourne Storm board, I’d absolutely be having Billy Slater at the top of my list (to succeed Bellamy).”