Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2015 NRL season and the State of Origin decider with a shoulder injury.
The difficult decision to call an early end to his season was made by Slater late on Thursday afternoon after being assessed by Storm medical staff.
Slater said it was an extremely tough decision to make, but one in the best interests of his health and the club.
“After each game I play, the battle to get up for the next week is becoming harder and the shoulder takes longer to settle down not allowing me to play to my full potential,” Slater said.
“Each week I’ve been focused on getting up for the next game and was able to do that for Origin on Wednesday night at the MCG, however the best decision is to undergo surgery now.
“I’m extremely disappointed not to be available to play for Queensland in Game 3 and especially for the rest of the season with Melbourne Storm.”
