Why Billy Slater's Melbourne Cup cameo is bad news for NRL teams trying to snare Queensland coach

OPINION

Billy Slater has continually stated he has no desire to become a full-time NRL coach, and his stunning career turn for the Melbourne Cup has arguably driven that home. Channel 9's decision to use Slater as a horseback interviewer for the Melbourne Cup carnival has proven to be an overwhelming success, with viewers raving over his skills.

The former trackwork jockey runs his own breeding stable with wife Nicole, and was on horseback interviewing winners on Derby Day last Saturday and Cup day on Tuesday. And the eye-opening scenes have driven home the fact that Slater is too happy in his current life to become a full-time NRL coach in the near future.

The Melbourne Storm legend has been the Queensland coach in State of Origin for the last three years, but has been linked to vacant NRL jobs at Parramatta and Brisbane in recent times. On both occasions he emphatically shot down the speculation and declared he doesn't have the desire to pivot his career in that direction.

Becoming a full-time head-coach in the NRL would mean Slater would have to give up too many of the things he enjoys the most. He would most likely have to step down as Maroons coach, give up his job at Channel 9 and spend a lot less time with his wife and kids. And leaving Channel 9 would mean no more horseback interviews at major racing meets.

Billy Slater won't be dragged away from family life at home

Slater's current roles with Queensland and Channel 9 allow him to be at home with his young family much more than he would be if he was an NRL coach - particularly if it wasn't at the Melbourne Storm near where he lives. With Craig Bellamy nearing the end of his career, it's believed Slater might re-consider his stance on coaching in the NRL if he could lead the club he played 323 games for.

But if his employers at Channel 9 keep giving him cool perks like riding horses at the Melbourne Cup, the Storm job might not even be enough to lure him away. Speaking earlier this year, the 41-year-old said: “I am all in for the Queensland job and if I’m not coaching Queensland, I’m not coaching anyone else.

“It’s not so much the pressure of the NRL job. I’m not worried about that. But it’s a huge commitment being an NRL coach - it’s an 11-month of the year, seven days a week job. I’ve been in and around the NRL environment for over two decades now. I understand what those NRL coaches put into it and it’s all in.

"Where I am at with my life and my family, I don’t foresee myself in the near future ever becoming an NRL coach. Maybe that changes down the track - you never say never - but I’m here to do my part for Queensland. I’m happy in this role and if I’m not the Queensland head coach, well, I’m not a coach.”

Billy Slater's telling comments about wife and kids

Tellingly, Slater's desire to spend as much time with his family as possible even led to him questioning whether he'd continue as Queensland coach after his second year in charge. "I don’t think I’ve ever said that I wouldn’t like to help the Queensland rugby league team. I’ve just got to make sure that it works," he said last year. "Selfishly, I’d love to coach on, that’s the easy answer, but I’m a husband, I’m a father, I run a small stud farm, we do that ourselves as a family.

“I’ve got to make sure that everything works and I can commit that time to the Queensland rugby league team. There’s a lot more to it than me selfishly wanting to be coach of the Queensland rugby league team.”