- Queensland coach made shocking comments on Tuesday
- Was responding to being called a ‘grub’ by Aaron Woods
Billy Slater has backed down over his shocking comments about footy legend Paul Green’s tragic death on Tuesday – and revealed he called the former Cowboys coach’s widow to apologise.
The Queensland Origin coach held a short press conference on Wednesday morning in which he said he is ‘deeply and genuinely sorry’ for using Green’s suicide in 2022 to slam ex-NSW star Aaron Woods for calling him a ‘grub’ last week.
Slater acknowledged that Green was suffering from the incurable brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died.
‘Yesterday I wrongly made the link between Paul Green’s death and the pressures of coaching, which wasn’t accurate, nor was it appropriate,’ Slater said.
‘I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to Amanda Green this morning and apologised for any hurt that it may have caused her and her family.
‘I just want to say this, Paul had CTE. It’s a different disease to what I was referring to.
Billy Slater (pictured) has backed down and admitted his comments about Paul Green’s tragic death were wrong and inappropriate
Slater called Green’s widow Amanda (pictured together) to deliver a personal apology
‘Once again, I’m deeply and genuinely sorry.’
Slater referenced Green while delivering a pointed takedown to Woods over the former NSW prop’s ‘grub’ claims in an angry statement on Tuesday afternoon.
He questioned former NSW forward Woods’s right to have a voice in the media after copping heat from him last week.
The under-pressure Maroons coach also played down the spotlight on his own job, as Queensland fight to stay in the series at Optus Stadium in Perth on Wednesday night.
But Slater saved the most poignant response to a question around Woods’s comments.
Woods made headlines last week when he labelled Slater a grub on Sydney radio, pointing to the fact he kicked Wests Tigers prop John Skandalis in a game in 2006.
Asked about the issue on Tuesday, Slater questioned reporters if they really wanted him to answer before unleashing on Woods with a rally-like speech.
‘When you hold a position in the media or in our game, I feel that’s a privilege. And with that privilege comes a responsibility,’ Slater said.
Slater admitted he was wrong to link Green’s death to the pressures of coaching after it was revealed the footy legend was suffering from a severe and undiagnosed case of the incurable brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died
Slater was responding to being called a grub by NSW star turned radio personality Aaron Woods (pictured right with his Triple M co-hosts Beau Ryan and Cat Lynch)
‘I sit in that position most weeks and you amplify your voice to millions of people. You’re not talking to your mates in the pub.
‘I know Aaron Woods. I actually ran into him three or four weeks ago at a footy game and he didn’t voice that opinion then. He actually brought his son over to introduce him to me.
‘When you degrade someone personally in a derogatory manner, you probably don’t deserve one of those privileged positions that we’re all in.
‘You don’t know what people are going through.
‘And although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn’t be. Maybe our last coach didn’t.’
Green coaching the Maroons in the 2021 series before Slater took over in 2022.
A post-mortem found the North Queensland premiership-winning coach had been living with a ‘severe’ and undiagnosed case of CTE.
Woods returned serve on his Triple M radio show on Wednesday morning, refusing to back away from his comments as he said Slater went too far.
‘Those comments I made last Tuesday, I stand by them,’ Woods said.
‘I just thought Billy went a little bit over the boundary, and I just think it was really – I just think it was completely unnecessary for the situation.’
Woods’ co-host and fellow former NRL star Beau Ryan also hit out at Slater.
‘It took a different turn yesterday. It’s been blown out of proportion,’ he said.
”It took a dark turn yesterday. From where I’m standing, Billy was waving the white flag.
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