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Storm player Billy Slater skips away from Andrew McCullough during the Rugby League, NRL Round 2, Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium, Friday March 20, 2009. Broncos won 16 - 14. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
There has been a lot of talk recently about the idea of moving Billy Slater from fullback to a five-eighth position, encouraged by his training sessions with extra ball-work at the Melbourne Storm.
While the debate has focused on whether or not he can make, I have posed a few comments about why he shouldn’t.
The obvious comparison that will come up is the Darren Lockyer one, the most successful transition you could imagine from the back of the spine to pivot – going from the best player in the world at full-back to the arguably the best at five-eight.
But the switch came for two reasons: need, and to maximise Lockyer’s opportunities with the ball in his hand.
Craig Bellamy is a prime candidate to be able to switch players, renowned for both his high demands in work from his players, and being a utility player himself who played occasionally at fullback or at five-eighth.
He has a keen understanding for key roles in the ‘spine’ of a team.
But do Melbourne need a five-eighth, or is he trying to make room for his budding star Gareth Widdop to play fullback?
Lockyer moved to fill a hole in the Broncos line-up that he not only excelled, but dominated for club, state and country for the years since.
But the Storm don’t need a five-eighth to the extent that it merits moving the world’s best fullback out of his favoured position.
Lockyer’s move, you will remember, caused quite a stir, and took almost a full season to completely shut his critics up, some until the Broncos won the Premiership.
Lockyer moved to replace a retiring Ben Ikin, and the club needed someone to steer the ship. The fullback position was given to a 17-year-old Karmichael Hunt.
Does Melbourne have the same predicament?
With the loss of Brett Finch, Melbourne needed to fill the pivot role.
Maurice Blair is a serviceable five-eighth, and with a player of the calibre of Cronk in the team, serviceable may be all that is required, especially with Smith taking a lot of responsibility for setting up plays.
Widdop himself has been playing the role of five-eighth this season due to Blair suffering a minimal tear in his rotator cuff in a trial against Canberra. After a couple of rounds, he shows promise that he could make the position his own, despite being preferred in the fullback role.
In three games, he has posted three try-assists and a try, not too shabby for a youngster.
There is also the question of Slater’s “speed”, as is so often highlighted in any discussion of the man’s ability. Billy Slater looks far faster than he is in real terms, compared to most members of an outside backline in the NRL.
Billy the Kid isn’t that fast over a hundred metres, his strength is how quickly he hits his top speed.
I don’t think I’ve seen a man grace the NRL who can accelerate as quickly as Slater, and over 10, 20, and maybe 30 metres. He is probably the fastest in the NRL, and that’s what you want in a fullback, less so a five-eighth.
Acceleration is an important asset in any player, but for a fullback playing in the NRL, those gaps on the edge of the ruck, from an offload or an inside ball, close very quickly, and being able to punch through a gap that another player couldn’t is metres gained, or points posted, which a faster player couldn’t find without the required acceleration.
Lockyer was fast off the mark on his day, but not abnormally so in NRL terms.
So the switch was utilising his vast array of skills.
While Slater hardly sets the world alight with his ball-playing and kicking, he’s not anywhere near bad (everyone will remember that State of Origin try), but his skills lean him more towards fullback, rather than the number 6.
What is also a factor is the effect that fatigue has on rapid acceleration in an athlete, and Billy’s acceleration is his greatest asset.
Putting him in the defensive line will have an effect on how quickly he can poke his nose through those tight gaps, so having him sit back as a deep ball player would be lunacy when dealing with the talent Slater has.
I don’t necessarily think he will fail.
Far from it.
He’s a decent kicker, and he can put a man through a gap and communicates well from fullback – all skills which would serve him well directing play.
Billy Slater is a gifted fullback, he can duck, swerve, hit gaps, back-up and can get to his man as the last line of defence.
Don’t write him off if he switches, as countless armchair critics did to Lockyer. But if there was ever a man born to play fullback, Billy the Kid is up there with the best.
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