Storm re-sign Billy Slater

Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater has today put pen to paper on a contract extension that will keep him with the Club until the end of the 2012 season.

The 2008 Golden Boot winner and inaugural Rugby League International Federation Player-of-the-Year joins the likes of 2008 re-signings Cam Smith, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis, Ryan Hoffman and head coach Craig Bellamy in pledging his long-term future to the club.

Slater, the reigning Melbourne player-of-the-year, said the decision to stay with the Storm was an easy one.

“This is the club that game me my opportunity in the game, and I can’t even comprehend ever playing against the Storm,” said Slater.

“I’ve grown up with this club, I feel like part of the furniture around here now and I just love pulling on that jersey every week during the season.”

The number of high profile players to re-sign with the Storm also played a part in Slater pledging his future to the Club.

“You’ve got to weigh up a lot more than money, you have to weigh up being happy,” he said.

“It’s a successful club here with a lot of my mates.”

“We’ve done really well in recent years and I’m pretty excited about the next batch of players coming through the coaching system here.

“There are some really good young players who are going to make a name for themselves in the next couple of years so I can’t see why we can’t have continued success in the foreseeable future.”

Melbourne CEO Brian Waldron is delighted Slater has decided to follow in the footstep’s of many of his teammates by signing a new long-term deal.

“Cooper (Cronk) started it last year when he said publicly how important it was to remain here and they have followed suit,” Waldron said.