Billy Slater – författare

During a long and decorated career with the Melbourne Storm, Queensland and Australia, Billy Slater has forged a reputation as not merely one of rugby league’s great full-backs, but as one of the best players in the game''s long history.Slater’s story is that of a young country recruit with superb natural talent who rose quickly to the top level playing with the Storm after just one pre-season in Melbourne and starring for Queensland during just his second season in the NRL.But inside the player who has scored so many audacious tries on the game’s biggest stages is a fierce competitive drive and a relentless work ethic. One inherited from parents who worked multiple jobs to provide for their two children.From the northern Queensland town of Innisfail, Slater enjoyed the quintessential Queensland upbringing. His father was a local rugby league coach, one grandfather worked in the cane fields and another was a miner and a country and western singer.For a time horses rather than football were Slater’s passion. He gave up rugby league for 18 months and worked as a track rider and stable hand for renowned trainer Gai Waterhouse in Sydney.But it was on the football field rather than the racetrack that Slater was always destined to make his name. Never the biggest or the strongest player as a junior, he worked harder than most to become an integral part of the Melbourne Storm and Queensland dynasties and an automatic selection in the national team.During his decorated career Slater has been confronted by the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal, career-threatening injuries, the disappointment of lost grand finals, his early axing from the Queensland team, a game-losing mistake with the Kangaroos and accusations about his allegedly rough style of play.Slater has emerged not merely as a great of the game, but as an even more resilient character, a respected spokesman for his sport, a devoted husband and father and, in a moment of emotional vindication – a member of the Storm’s defiant 2012 premiership team.

A junior fiction series for boys about a local boys’ rugby league team who get special coaching and advice from star NRL player Billy Slater.Josh can play footy. He’s fast and fleet-footed and a blur down the sideline. But every time he steps onto the field a stampede of elephant-sized butterflies invade his stomach and he fumbles the ball.Having his footy-mad grandad screaming from the sidelines doesn''t help. To top it off, he blows an easy try and loses his team the opening game of the season. Josh starts thinking about giving up football forever. That is, until NRL legend and Josh''s hero, Billy Slater, turns up at training one day.Can Billy help Josh overcome his nerves and hang onto the ball long enough to score?

A junior fiction series for boys about a local boys’ rugby league team who get special coaching and advice from star NRL player Billy Slater.Junior is the youngest player for the West Hill Ravens. He is also the biggest. Everyone on the team starts to call him Cannonball because, when he makes a bust, he’s virtually unstoppable. Even though Junior is helping his team score more tries than ever, no one seems to be able to see past his size. When team mentor, Billy Slater, sets the Ravens a challenge, Junior’s bad feeling gets even worse. Will Billy be able to help Junior prove there is more to him than meets the eye?

A junior fiction series for boys about a local boys’ rugby league team who get special coaching and advice from star NRL player Billy Slater.Corey is one of the best players on team and everyone knows it, especially Corey. While he scores a lot of tries, he doesn''t win many friends. Corey thinks his footy skills give him licence to pick on anyone who isn''t as good as him, and his teammates are getting sick of it. When he makes a bet with C. C., the West Hill Ravens fullback, things really start to spin out of control.Can team mentor Billy Slater show Corey that great players aren''t always the ones that score the most points?

A junior fiction series for boys about a local boys’ rugby league team who get special coaching and advice from star NRL player Billy Slater.Liam is the captain of the West Hill Ravens, and the heart and soul of the team. He lives, breathes and sleeps footy. The only problem is that it doesn’t leave him much time for anything else.Now his schoolwork is suffering and his parents are on his back. He may even have to quit the team. And without their captain, the Ravens'' chances of making the finals look grim.Can Billy convince Liam that working with Ravi, the Ravens'' inexperienced reserve player, is the key to saving the team''s season?