7th Tackle: Slater's incentive to play on

Billy Slater submitted easily his strongest performance since returning from injury last weekend, giving Melbourne Storm officials every confidence that he can continue in 2018.

Things weren’t looking so rosy last year, however.

We can reveal the Storm and Slater agreed on a new contract structure that effectively means the decorated fullback is playing on an incentive deal this season.

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• Foran close to making agonising call

• Widdop needs more than 2.3m reasons

• Fifita gets back on the bike

• Honeymoon over for two Manly greats

• Feathers fly in Flanagan-Bird relationship

• Slater's incentive to play on

Slater’s willingness to renegotiate shows his appreciation of the club's loyalty over the past two years, which saw him manage just a single game thanks to a shoulder injury.

It will now be his call whether to play on, despite turning 34 in June.

Melbourne will be hoping Slater comes to the party, given the club has always planned to stagger the exits of their ‘Big Three’.

With Cooper Cronk heading to Sydney at the end of this year, they don’t want to lose two-thirds of the champion trio in one hit.