Billy Slater knows what makes Reece Walsh tick ... and how much he should share with Melbourne

6 days ago 6

Billy Slater has played a huge role making Reece Walsh one of the game’s elite players, but says he is more than ready to give the Melbourne Storm “professional intel” on how best to stop rugby league’s most exciting No.1

Slater finds himself in the quirky predicament of working as a coaching consultant for a Storm side preparing for an NRL grand final against a Brisbane Broncos team that features several players he has coached at Queensland Origin level, including Walsh.

The fullback showdown between Walsh and Ryan Papenhuyzen will be fascinating, with the latter back to his attacking best last Friday – and even looking like a younger version of former Storm star Slater when he pushed through the middle in support for a try against Cronulla before half-time.

As for what will be divulged about Walsh to Storm head coach – and NSW coaching adviser – Craig Bellamy, Slater told this masthead: “It will be a balance. It will be professional intel, but it won’t be any personal intel.

“I’m not disrespectful with the coaching roles I hold [for Melbourne and Queensland]. That’s important to me.

“It’s all about what happens on the field. The great thing about our game is nothing is hidden; there isn’t a single thing the 34 players who will be on the field on Sunday haven’t done yet.

“It’s all there for us to see. It’s up to us to look at it all and build a plan around it.

“As much as I want to see Reece and all the Queensland guys do well, I have a job to do for the Storm.”

Slater said he would never give up personal information, including what makes Walsh click, how he prepares, or any private details that could be used against him on the big stage.

Four-time grand final winner Slater said it was no fluke the Storm and Broncos were at their lethal best when Walsh and Papenhuyzen were heavily involved.

Ryan Papenhuyzen, Billy Slater and Reece Walsh

Slater said a try just before the break last Friday proved Papenhuyzen was in the zone.

“‘Paps’ took a carry on Friday night, a run he didn’t need to have, then two players later he popped up on the inside of Cam Munster, chased a kick and then scored next to the post,” Slater said.

“He didn’t need to take that hit-up, but he did, got a quick play-the-ball, created a bit of space, and scored when players were starting to get tired.

“Reece is very similar. His last six weeks have been outstanding, and the more he gets the ball, the more chance he gets to show off his talents.”

Papenhuyzen said he wanted to be involved from the opening whistle after hanging back and letting so many of the Storm’s other attacking weapons, including Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant, take the lead.

“I had a real mentality against the Sharks to attack the game from the first minute, not expect things to open up, but to put myself in the picture – and the more I put myself in the picture, hopefully good things happened,” Papenhuyzen said.

“It was a bit of a mindset shift, to be fair.

“It’s hard sometimes when you have blokes in the team of the calibre of Munster, ‘Hughesy’, Harry, ‘Coatesy’ [Xavier Coates] and Stefano [Utoikamanu]. Sometimes you can get caught sitting back, waiting for them to do something.

“My mentality was to attack the game, and hopefully by me attacking the game, they’d realise they can attack the game as well. That’s when we play our best footy.”

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