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Since he burst onto the Toyota Cup scene, New Zealand fullback Kevin Locke has been dubbed ‘the next Billy Slater’, but Slater believes the young star has become his own man.
Slater argues while they might share the same blinding speed, consummate confidence and freakish skills, it is disrespectful to compare Locke to any of his peers when he has already achieved so much in his own right.
“I suppose you could make some comparisons in our games, but you don’t want to talk about a player like that,” Slater told reporters on Thursday.
“Kevin Locke is going to be a Kevin Locke, he’s not going to be a Billy Slater, he’s going to work out his own strengths and he might pick a few things up from other fullbacks, but I wouldn’t like to put (any comparison) on him.
“I wouldn’t like for myself to be talked upon to be playing like someone else.
“I think Kevin Locke’s just going to be the best player Kevin Locke can be and he’s certainly going along the right road to (do that).”
Slater, who was last month crowned the best player in the NRL in 2011 with his first Dally M Medal win, has been a keen observer of Locke’s since he started making headlines in the under 20s competition.
And he said the steps Locke has taken this year in becoming an integral part of the Warriors’ attack meant he would be one player Australia need to look out for when they play a one-off Test in Newcastle on Sunday.
“He’s been a good player for a couple of years now, I remember watching him in the under 20s and he was a talent there, you could really tell he was going to go on with things,” Slater added.
“He’s one player that we’re going to have to make sure our defensive line is in order because if you give a player like that a small opportunity he’ll create something for them.
“… We (Melbourne) played him in the (preliminary) final and he was great, he’s a very dangerous player.”
Locke’s club captain Simon Mannering said the youngster wouldn’t miss a beat making the step into the international arena.
“He’s definitely got a lot of self belief in his ability, and that’s a big key for a new guy coming into this team,” he said.
“I’ve no doubts that he’ll do himself and the team well out there. He’s definitely come a long way this year and I’m sure he’ll continue on with that with the Kiwis.
“What he brings to a team, that will be an asset for any side he plays in and I’m sure that will be the same for this side.”
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